CHAMBERS 


JAPONETTE 


Works  of  Robert  W.  Chambers 


Japonette 

The  Common  Law 

The  Adventures  of  a  Modest  Man 

Ailsa  Paige 

The  Green  Mouse 
lole 

The  Reckoning 
The  Maid -at -Arms 
Cardigan 

The  Haunts  of  Men 
The  Mystery  of  Choice 
The  Cambric  Mask 
The  Maker  of  Moons 
The  King  in  Yellow 
In    Search    of   the   Un 
known 

The  Conspirators 
A     King     and     a    Few 

Dukes 
In  the  Quarter 


The  Danger  Mark 
Special  Messenger 
The  Firing  Line 
The  Younger  Set 
The  Fighting  Chance 
Some  Ladies  in  Haste 
The   Tree    of    Heaven 
The    Tracer    of    Lost 

Persons 
A  Young    Man    in    a 

Hurry 
Lorraine 

Maids  of  Paradise 
Ashes  of  Empire 
The  Red  Republic 
Outsiders 


For  Children 

Garden-Land  Mountain-Land 

Forest -Land  Orchard-Land 

River-Land  Outdoor-Land 

Hide  and  Seek  in  Forest-Land 


"  Watching  the  city  lights  .  .  .  waiting,  listening — always  listening." 

[Page  352] 


JAPONETTE 

By  ROBERT   W.  CHAMBERS 


WITH   ILLUSTRATIONS   BY 

CHARLES   DANA  GIBSON 


D.    APPLETON    AND   COMPANY 
NEW  YORK  AND  LONDON  ::   MCMXII 


COPYRIGHT,  1912,  BY 
D.   APPLETON   AND   COMPANY 


Copyright,  1911,  1912,  by  International  Magazine  Company 
under  the  title  "The  Turning  Point" 


Published  March,  1912 


Printed  in  the  United  States  of  America 


TO 
ETHEL  AND   LUCILLE   FOREMAN 


M221431 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

I. — IN  FORMA  PAUPEXIS    .      .     .     .     .     .     .  i 

II. — CORPUS  DELICTI     .     .     .     .  •  .     .     .     .  16 

III. — SUB  JUDICE 36 

IV. — IN  Loco  PARENTIS       ....'...  60 

V. — DE  MOTU  PROPRIO      ......  94 

VI. — PACTA  CONVENTA  . 129 

VII.— FLOS  VENERIS  .     .     .     .     .     .     .     .  163 

VIII. — MILLE  MODI  VENERIS      .     .     .1     .     .  196 

IX. — NON  SEQUITUR 215 

X. — COMPOS  MENTIS 242 

XI. — QUOD  ERAT  FACIENDUM    ......  265 

XII. — NONC   AUT   NUNQUAM 289 

XIII.— GUI  MALO 320 

XIV.— DESUNT  CETERA               349 


LIST   OF   ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

"Watching  the  city  lights— watching,  listening, 
always  listening "  .  .  .  Frontispiece 

"A  dainty,  unreal  shape,  exquisite  as  a  tinted 
phantom  stealing  through  a  fairy  tale  of 
Old  Japan"  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  17 

"  '  We  had  to  spend  all  our  money  on  clothes  ' '        29 

"'My  uncle's  port  and  sherry,' he  said"       .        .       41 

" '  Is  it  because  we  are  merely  attractive  that  you 

mentioned  the  relationship?'"          ...  49 

"'As  far  as  I  am  concerned ,  the  matter  is  settled  " '  65 
'"I  wonder  just  how  innocent  we  really  are? '  she 

said"     .        .        .        .        .        .        •••'••        •  99 

"Mr.  Rivett  took  in  Diana,  his  son  Silvette"      .  113 

" 'Wouldn't  it  be  odd  if  Jim  married  that  girl? '"  155 
"Presently  she  caught  his  eye  and  made  him  a 

pretty  gesture"  .        f                .        .        ...  177 

"'Diana!'  she  exclaimed  softly "    .        .        .        .  191 

"Glancing  up,  she  beheld  Jack  Rivett"        .        .  199 
ix 


List  of  Illustrations 


PAGE 

"She  looked  around,  pen  poised"   ....  219 

"The  colonel  puffed  his  cigar  in  smiling  silence"  227 

'"I  want  to  gossip  with  you,'  he  said  abruptly"  235 
"'Oh,  dear,'  she  said,  'there's  somebody  down 

there  already '"       .        .        .        .      „.,.   .        .  281 
"Dineen  slowly  revolved  his  thumbs  and  squinted 

at  a  sunbeam"    .        .        .        .        .        .        .  297 

"'Your  loyalty  to  honor  deceived  a  very  gentle 

heart,'  he  said" 315 

"That   night   at   dinner   she   was   very   gay — a 

charming,  sparkling,  bewildering  creature"  .  339 

'"So  this  is  your  apartment?'  he  said"         .        .  371 

"'Health,  happiness,  prosperity  to  them'"  .        .  385 


JAPONETTE 

CHAPTER    I 

IN    FORMA    PAUPERIS 

HE  failure  of  the  old-time  firm  of  Ed- 
gerton,  Tennant  &  Co.  was  unusual 
only  because  it  was  an  honest  one — the  be 
wildered  creditors  receiving  a  hundred  cents 
on  a  dollar  from  property  not  legally  in 
volved. 

Edgerton  had  been  dead  for  several  years ; 
the  failure  of  the  firm  presently  killed  old 
Tennant,  who  was  not  only  old  in  years,  but 
also  old  in  fashion — so  obsolete,  in  fact,  were 
the  fashions  he  clung  to  that  he  had  used  his 
last  cent  in  a  matter  which  he  regarded  as  in 
volving  his  personal  honor. 

The  ethically  laudable  but  materially  ruin 
ous  integrity  of  old  Henry  Tennant  had  made 
matters  rather  awkward  for  his  orphaned 
nieces.  Similar  traditions  in  the  Edgerton 
family — of  which  there  now  remained  only  a 
single  representative,  James  Edgerton  3d — 
i 


Japonette 


devastated  that  young  man's  inheritance  so 
completely  that  he  came  back  to  the  United 
States,  via  Boston,  on  a  cattle  steamer  and 
arrived  in  New  York  the  following  day  with 
two  dollars  in  loose  silver  and  a  confused  de 
termination  to  see  the  affair  through  without 
borrowing. 

He  walked  from  the  station  to  the  nearest 
of  his  clubs.  It  was  very  early,  and  the  few 
club  servants  on  duty  gazed  at  him  with 
friendly  and  respectful  sympathy. 

In  the  visitors'  room  he  sat  down,  wrote 
out  his  resignation,  drew  up  similar  valedicto 
ries  to  seven  other  expensive  and  fashionable 
clubs,  and  then  picked  up  his  two  suit  cases 
again,  declining  with  a  smile  the  offered  as 
sistance  from  Read,  the  doorman  who  had 
been  in  service  there  as  long  as  the  club  had 
existed. 

"  Mr.  Edgerton,"  murmured  the  old  man, 
"  Mr.  Inwood  is  in  the  Long  Room,  sir." 

Edgerton  thought  a  moment,  then  walked 
to  the  doorway  of  the  Long  Room  and  looked 
in.  At  the  same  time  Inwood  glanced  up 
from  his  newspaper. 

"  Hello !  "  he  exclaimed ;  "  is  that  you,  Ed 
gerton  ?  " 

2 


In  Forma  Pauperis 


"Who  the  devil  do  you  think  it  is?"  re 
plied  Edgerton  amiably. 

They  shook  hands.     Inwood  said: 

"  What's  the  trouble — a  grouch,  a  hang 
over,  or  a  lady  ?  " 

Edgerton  laughed,  placed  his  suit  cases  on 
the  floor,  and  seated  himself  in  a  corner  of 
the  club  window  for  the  first  time  in  six 
months — and  for  the  last  time  in  many,  many 
months  to  come. 

"  It's  hot  in  town/'  he  observed.  "  How 
are  you,  Billy  ?  " 

"  Blooming.  Accept  from  me  a  long,  cold 
one  with  a  permanent  fizz  to  it.  Yes?  No? 
A  Riding  Club  cocktail,  then?  What?  Nix 
for  the  rose-wreathed  bowl?" 

Edgerton  shook  his  head.  "  Nix  for  the 
bowl,  thanks." 

"Well,. you  won't  mind  if  I  ring  for  first- 
aid  materials,  will  you?" 

The  other  politely  waved  his  gloved 
hand. 

A  servant  arrived  and  departed  with  the 
emergency  order.  Inwood  pushed  an  un 
pleasant  and  polychromatic  mess  of  Sunday 
newspapers  aside  and  reseated  himself  in  the 
leather  chair. 


Japonette 


"  I'm  terribly  sorry  about  what  happened 
to  you,  Jim,"  he  said.  4<  So  is  everybody.  We 
all  thought  it  was  to  be  another  gay  year  of 
that  dear  Paris  for  you " 

"  I  thought  so,  too,"  nodded  Edgerton ; 
"  but  what  a  fellow  thinks  hasn't  anything  to 
do  with  anything.  I've  found  out  that." 

Inwood  emptied  his  glass  and  gazed  at  the 
frost  on  it,  sentimentally. 

"  The  main  thing/'  he  said,  "  is  for  your 
friends  to  stand  by  you " 

"  No ;  the  main  thing  is  for  them  to  stand 
aside — kindly,  Billy — while  I  pass  down  and 
out  for  a  while." 

"  My  dear  fellow " 

"  While  I  pass  out,"  repeated  Edgerton. 
"  I  may  return ;  but  that  will  be  up  to  me — 
and  not  up  to  them." 

"  Well,  what  good  is  friendship  ?  " 

"  Good  to  believe  in — no  good  otherwise. 
Let  it  alone  and  it's  the  finest  thing  in  the 
world ;  use  it,  and  you  will  have  to  find  an 
other  name  for  it." 

He  smiled  at  Inwood. 

"  Friendship  must  remain  always  the  hap 
piest  and  most  comforting  of  all — theories," 
he  said.  "  Let  it  alone ;  it  has  a  value  ines- 
4 


In  Forma  Pauperis 


timable    in    its    own    place — no   value    other 
wise." 

Inwood  began  to  laugh. 

"  Your  notion  concerning  friends  and 
friendship  isn't  the  popular  one." 

"  But  my  friends  will  sleep  the  sounder  for 
knowing  what  are  my  views  concerning 
friendship." 

"  That's  cynical  and  unfair,"  began  the 
other,  reddening. 

"  No,  it's  honest ;  and  you  notice  that  even 
my  honesty  puts  a  certain  strain  on  our 
friendship,"  retorted  Edgerton,  still  laughing. 

"  You're  only  partly  in  earnest,  aren't 
you  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I'm  never  really  in  earnest  about  any 
thing.  That's  why  Fate  extended  an  unerring 
and  iron  hand,  grasped  me  by  the  slack  of  my 
pants,  shook  me  until  all  my  pockets  turned 
inside  out,  and  set  me  down  hard  on  the  trol 
ley  tracks  of  Destiny.  Just  now  I'm  crawling 
for  the  sidewalk  and  the  skirts  of  Chance." 

He  laughed  again  without  the  slightest  bit 
terness,  and  looked  out  of  the  window. 

The  view  from  the  club  window  was  sooth 
ing;  Fifth  Avenue  lay  silent  and  deserted  in 
the  sunshine  of  an  early  summer  morning. 
2  5 


Japonette 


Inwood  said :  "  The  papers — everybody — 
spoke  most  glowingly  of  the  way  your  firm  set 
tled  with  its  creditors." 

"  Oh,  hell !  Why  should  ordinary  honesty 
make  such  a  stir  in  New  York?  Don't  let's 
talk  about  it;  I'm  going  home,  anyway." 

"Where?" 

"  To  my  place." 

"  It's  been  locked  up  for  over  a  year,  hasn't 
it?" 

"  Yes,  but  there's  a  janitor " 

"  Come  down  to  Oyster  Bay  with  me," 
urged  Inwood ;  "  come  on,  Jim,  and  forget 
your  troubles  over  Sunday." 

"  As  for  my  troubles,"  returned  the  other, 
rising  with  a  shrug  and  pulling  on  his  gloves, 
"  I've  had  leisure  on  the  ocean  to  classify  and 
pigeonhole  the  lot  of  them.  I  know  exactly 
what  I'm  going  to  do,  and  I'm  going  home  to 
begin  it." 

"  Begin  what  ?  "  inquired  Inwood  with  a 
curiosity  entirely  friendly. 

"  I'm  going  to  find  out,"  said  Edgerton, 
"  whether  any  of  what  my  friends  have  called 
my  '  talents  '  are  real  enough  to  get  me  a  job 
worth  three  meals  a  day,  or  whether  they'll 
merely  procure  for  me  the  hook." 
6 


In  Forma  Paitperis 


"  What  are  you  thinking  of  trying?  " 

"  I  don't  know  exactly.  I  thought  of  turn 
ing  some  one  of  my  parlor  tricks  into  a  future 
profession — if  people  will  let  me." 

"  Writing  stories?  " 

"  Well,  that,  or  painting,  or  illustrating — 
music,  perhaps.  Perhaps  I  could  write  a  play, 
or  act  in  some  other  fellow's;  or  do  some 
damn  thing  or  other —  '  he  ended  vaguely. 
And  for  the  first  time  Inwood  saw  that  his 
friend's  eyes  were  weary,  and  that  his  face 
seemed  unusually  worn.  It  was  plain  enough 
that  James  Edgerton  3d  had  already  jour 
neyed  many  a  league  with  Black  Care,  and 
that  he  had  not  yet  outridden  that  shadowy 
horseman. 

"  Jim,"  said  Inwood  seriously,  "  why  won't 
you  let  me  help  you — "  But  Edgerton 
checked  him  in  a  perfectly  friendly  manner. 

"  You  are  helping  me,"  he  said ;  "  that's  why 
I'm  going  about  my  business.  Success  to 
yours,  Billy.  Good-by!  I'll  be  back"— 
glancing  around  the  familiar  room — "  some 
time  or  other;  back  here  and  around  town, 
everywhere,  as  usual,"  he  added  confidently; 
and  the  haunted  look  faded.  He  smiled  and 
nodded  with  a  slight  gesture  of  adieu,  picked 
7 


Japonette 


up  his  suit  cases,  and,  with  another  friendly 
shake  of  his  head  for  the  offers  of  servants' 
assistance,  walked  out  into  the  sunshine  of 
Fifth  Avenue,  and  west  toward  his  own  abode 
in  Fifty-sixth  Street. 

When  he  arrived  there,  he  was  hot  and 
dusty,  and  he  decided  to  let  Kenna  carry  up 
his  luggage.  So  he  descended  to  the  area. 

Every  time  he  pulled  the  basement  bell  he 
could  hear  it  jingle  inside  the  house  some 
where,  but  nobody  responded,  and  after  a 
while  he  remounted  the  area  steps  to  the 
street  and  glanced  up  at  the  brown-stone 
fagade.  Every  window  was  shut,  every  cur 
tain  drawn.  That  block  on  Fifty-sixth  Street 
on  a  Sunday  morning  in  early  summer  is  an 
unusually  silent  and  deserted  region.  Edger- 
ton  looked  up  and  down  the  sunny  street. 
After  Paris  the  city  of  his  birth  seemed  very 
mean  and  treeless  and  shabby  in  the  merciless 
American  sunshine. 

Fumbling  for  his  keys  he  wondered  to  what 
meaner  and  shabbier  street  he  might  soon  be 
destined,  now  that  fortune  had  tripped  him 
up;  and  how  soon  he  would  begin  to  regret 
the  luxury  of  this  dusty  block  and  the  com 
forts  of  the  house  which  he  was  now  about 
8 


In  Forma  Pauperis 


to  enter.  And  he  fitted  his  latch-key  to  the 
front  door  and  let  himself  in. 

It  was  a  very  clumsy  and  old-fashioned 
apartment  house,  stupidly  built,  five  stories 
high ;  there  was  only  one  apartment  to  a  floor, 
and  no  elevator.  The  dark  and  stuffy  auster 
ity  of  this  out-of-date  building  depressed  him 
anew  as  he  entered.  Its  tenants,  of  course, 
were  away  from  town  for  the  summer 
— respectable,  middle-aged  people — stodgy, 
wealthy,  dull  as  the  carved  banisters  that 
guarded  the  dark,  gas-lit  well  of  the  staircase. 
Each  family  owned  its  own  apartment — had 
been  owners  for  years.  Edgerton  inherited 
his  floor  from  an  uncle — widely  known  among 
earlier  generations  as  a  courtly  and  delight 
ful  old  gentleman — an  amateur  of  antiquities 
and  the  possessor  of  many  very  extraordinary 
things,  including  his  own  private  character 
and  disposition. 

Carrying  his  suit  cases,  which  were  pasted 
all  over  with  tricolored  labels,  the  young  man 
climbed  the  first  two  flights  of  stairs,  and  then, 
placing  his  luggage  on  the  landing,  halted  to 
recover  his  breath  and  spirits. 

The  outlook  for  his  future  loomed  as  dark 
as  the  stair  well.  He  sat  down  on  the  top 
9 


Japonette 


step,  lighted  a  cigarette,  and  gazed  up  at  the 
sham  stained  glass  in  the  skylight  above.  And 
now  for  the  first  time  he  began  to  realize 
something  of  the  hideousness  of  his  present 
position,  his  helplessness,  unfitted  as  he  was 
to  cope  with  financial  adversity  or  make  an 
honest  living  at  anything. 

If  people  had  only  let  him  alone  when  he 
first  emerged  from  college  as  mentally  naked 
as  anything  newly  fledged,  his  more  sensible 
instincts  probably  would  have  led  him  to  re 
main  in  the  ancient  firm  of  his  forefathers, 
Edgerton,  Tennant  &  Co.,  dealers  in  iron. 

But  fate  and  his  friends  had  done  the  busi 
ness  for  him,  finally  persuading  him  to  go 
abroad.  He  happened,  unfortunately,  to  pos 
sess  a  light,  graceful,  but  not  at  all  unusual, 
talent  for  several  of  the  arts;  he  could  tinkle 
catchy  improvisions  on  a  piano,  sketch  in  oil 
and  water  colors,  model  in  clay,  and  write  the 
sort  of  amateur  verse  popular  in  college  pe 
riodicals.  Women  often  evinced  an  inclina 
tion  to  paw  him  and  tell  him  their  troubles; 
fool  friends  spoke  vaguely  of  genius  and 
"  achieving  something  distinctly  worth  while  " 
— which  finally  spoiled  a  perfectly  good  busi 
ness  man,  especially  after  a  third-rate  period 
ic 


In  Forma  Pauperis 


ical  had  printed  one  of  his  drawings,  and  a 
fourth-rate  one  had  published  a  short  story 
by  him;  and  the  orchestra  at  the  Colonnade 
had  played  one  of  his  waltzes,  and  Bernstein 
of  the  Frivolity  Theater  had  offered  to  read 
any  libretto  he  might  send. 

So  he  had  been  ass  enough  to  take  a  va 
cation  and  offer  himself  two  years'  study 
abroad ;  and  he  had  been  away  almost  a  year 
when  the  firm  went  to  the  wall,  carrying  with 
it  everything  he  owned  on  earth  except  this 
apartment  and  its  entailed  contents,  which  he 
could  neither  cast  into  the  melting  pot  for  his 
creditors  nor  even  sell  for  his  own  benefit. 
However,  the  creditors  were  paid  dollar  for 
dollar,  and  those  finer  and  entirely  obsolete 
points  of  the  Edgerton  honor  remained  silver 
bright ;  and  the  last  of  the  Edgertons  was  back 
once  more  in  New  York  with  his  apartment, 
his  carvings,  tapestries  and  pictures,  which 
the  will  forbade  him  to  sell,  and  two  dollars 
change  in  his  pockets. 

Presently  he  cast  his   cigarette  from  him, 

picked  up  his  suit  cases,  and  started  upward, 

jaw  set.    It  was  a  good  thing  for  him  that  he 

had  a  jaw  like  that.     It  was  his  only  asset 

ii 


Japonette 


now.  So  far  in  life,  however,  he  had  never 
used  it. 

Except  the  echo  of  his  tread  on  the  uncar- 
peted  staircase,  not  another  sound  stirred  in 
the  house.  Every  landing  was  deserted,  every 
apartment  appeared  to  be  empty  and  locked 
up  for  the  summer.  Dust  lay  gray  on  banis 
ter  and  landing ;  the  heated  atmosphere  reeked 
with  the  odor  of  moth  balls  and  tar  paper 
seeping  from  locked  doors. 

On  the  top' floor  a  gas  jet  flickered  as  usual 
in  the  corridor  which  led  to  his  apartment. 
By  its  uncertain  flame  he  selected  a  key  from 
the  bunch  he  carried,  and  let  himself  into  his 
own  rooms ;  and  the  instant  he  set  foot  across 
the  threshold  he  knew  that  something  was 
wrong. 

Whether  it  had  been  a  slight  sound  which 
he  fancied  he  heard  in  the  private  passage 
way,  or  whether  he  imagined  some  stealthy 
movement  in  the  golden  dusk  beyond,  he 
could  not  determine ;  but  a  swift  instinct 
halted  and  challenged  him,  and  left  him  lis 
tening. 

As  he  stood  there,  checked,  slowly  the  idea 
began  to  possess  him  that  there  was  some 
body  else  in  the  apartment.  When  the  slight 
12 


In  Forma  Pauperis 


but  sudden  chill  had  left  him,  and  his  hair 
no  longer  tingled  on  the  verge  of  rising,  he 
moved  forward  a  step,  then  again  halted.  For 
a  moment,  still  grasping  both  suit  cases,  he 
stood  as  though  at  bay,  listening,  glancing 
from  alcove  to  corridor,  from  one  dim  spot 
of  light  to  another  where  a  door  ajar  here  and 
there  revealed  corners  of  empty  rooms. 

Whether  or  not  there  was  at  that  moment 
another  living  being  except  himself  in  the 
place  he  did  not  know,  but  he  did  know  that 
otherwise  matters  were  not  as  he  had  left  them 
a  year  ago  in  his  apartment. 

For  one  thing,  here,  under  his  feet,  was 
spread  his  beautiful,  antique  Daghestan  run 
ner,  soft  as  deep  velvet,  which  he  had'  left 
carefully  rolled  up,  sewed  securely  in  burlap, 
and  stuffed  full  of  camphor  balls.  For  an 
other  thing,  his  ear  had  caught  a  low,  rhyth 
mical  sound  from  the  mantel  in  his  bedroom. 
It  was  his  frivolous  Sevres  clock  ticking  as 
indiscreetly  as  it  had  ever  ticked  in  the  bou 
doir  of  its  gayly  patched  and  powdered  mis 
tress  a  hundred  and  fifty  years  ago — which 
was  disturbing  to  Edgerton,  as  he  had  been 
away  for  a  year,  and  had  left  his  apartment 
locked  up  with  orders  to  Kenna,  the  janitor, 
13 


Japonette 


to  keep  out  until  otherwise  instructed  by  let 
ter  or  cable. 

Listening,  eyes  searching  the  dusk,  he  heard 
somewhere  the  rustle  of  a  curtain  blowing  at 
an  open  window;  and,  stepping  softly  to  his 
dining-room  door,  he  turned  the  knob  cau 
tiously  and  peered  in. 

No  window  seemed  to  be  open  there ;  the 
place  was  dark,  the  furniture  still  in  its  linen 
coverings. 

As  he  moved  silently  to  the  butler's  pantry, 
where  through  loosely  closed  blinds  the  sun 
shine  glimmered,  making  an  amber-tinted 
mystery  of  the  silence,  it  seemed  for  a  mo 
ment  to  him  as  though  he  could  still  hear  some 
where  the  stir  of  thfc  curtain;  and  he  turned 
and  retraced  his  steps  through  the  library. 

In  the  twilight  of  the  place,  half  revealed  as 
he  passed,  he  began  now  to  catch  glimpses  of 
a  state  of  things  that  puzzled  him. 

Coming  presently  to  his  dressing  room,  he 
opened  the  door,  and,  sure  enough,  there  was 
a  window  open,  and  beside  it  a  curtain  flut 
tered  gayly.  But  what  completely  monopo 
lized  his  attention  was  a  number  of  fash 
ionable  trunks — wardrobe  trunks,  steamer 
trunks,  hat  trunks,  shoe  trunks — some  open, 


In  Forma  Pauperis 


and  the  expensive-looking  contents  partly  vis 
ible  ;  some  closed  and  covered.  And  on  every 
piece  of  this  undoubtedly  feminine  luggage 
were  the  letters  D.  T.  or  S.  T. 

And  on  top  of  the  largest  trunk  sat  a  live 
cat. 


CHAPTER   II 

CORPUS    DELICTI 

HE  cat  was  pure  white  and  plumy,  and 
Persian.  Out  of  its  wonderful  sky- 
blue  eyes  it  looked  serenely  at  Edgerton ;  and 
the  young  man  gazed  back,  astonished.  Then, 
suddenly,  he  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  bedroom 
beyond,  and  froze  to  a  statue. 

The  object  that  appeared  to  petrify 'him  lay 
flung  across  his  bed — a  trailing  garment  of 
cobweb  lace  touched  here  and  there  with  rose- 
tinted  ribbons. 

For  a  moment  he  stared  at  it  hypnotized; 
then  his  eyes  shifted  wildly  to  his  dresser, 
which  seemed  to  be  covered  with  somebody 
else's  toilet  silver  and  crystal,  and — what  was 
that  row  of  cunning  little  commercial  curls ! 
—that  chair  heaped  with  fluffy  stuffs,  lacy, 
intimate  things,  faintly  fragrant ! 

With  a  violent  shiver  he  turned  his  startled 
16 


A  dainty,  unreal  shape,  exquisite  as  a  tinted  phantom 
stealing  through  a  fairy  tale  of  Old  Japan." 


Corpus  Delicti 


eyes  toward  the  parted  tapestry  gently  stir 
ring  in  the  unfelt  summer  wind. 

From  where  he  stood  he  could  see  into  the 
great  studio  beyond.  A  small,  flowered  silk 
slipper  lay  near  the  threshold,  high  of  heel, 
impertinent,  fascinating;  beyond,  on  the  cor 
ner  of  a  table  stood  a  bowl  full  of  peonies, 
ivory,  pink,  and  salmon-tinted ;  and  their  per 
fume  filled  the  place. 

Somebody  had  rolled  up  the  studio  shades. 
Sunshine  turned  the  great  square  window  to 
a  sheet  of  dazzling  glory,  and  against  it, 
picked  out  in  delicate  silhouette,  a  magic 
shadow  was  moving — a  dainty,  unreal  shape, 
exquisite  as  a  tinted  phantom  stealing  through 
a  fairy  tale  of  Old  Japan. 

Suddenly  the  figure  turned  its  head  and 
saw  him,  and  stood  motionless  against  the 
flare  of  light — a  young  girl,  very  slim  in  her 
shimmering  vestments  of  blossom-sprayed 
silk. 

The  next  moment  he  walked  straight  into 
the  studio. 

Neither  spoke.     She  examined  him  out  of 

wide  and  prettily  shaped  eyes ;  he  inspected 

her  with  amazed  intentness.   Everything  about 

her  seemed  so  unreal,  so  subtly  fragrant — the 

19 


Japonette 


pink  peonies  like  fluffy  powder-puffs  above 
each  little  close-set  ear,  the  rose-tinted  sil 
houette  of  her,  the  flushed  cheeks,  soft  bare 
arms,  the  silk-sheathed  feet  shod  in  tiny  straw 
sandals  tied  with  vermilion  cords. 

"  Who  are  you  ?  "  she  asked ;  and  her  voice 
seemed  to  him  as  charmingly  unreal  as  the 
rest  of  the  Japanese  fairy  tale  that  held  him 
enthralled. 

"  Will  you  please  go  out  again  at  once !  " 
she  said,  and  he  woke  up  partly. 

"  This — this  is  perfectly  incredible,"  he  said 
slowly. 

"  It  is,  indeed,"  she  said,  placing  a  snowy 
finger  upon  an  electric  button  and  retaining  it 
there. 

He  regarded  her  without  comprehension, 
muttering : 

"  I — I  simply  cannot  realize  it — that  cat — 
those  g-garments — you " 

"  There  is  another  thing  you  don't  realize," 
she  said  with  heightened  color,  "  that  I  am 
steadily  ringing  the  janitor's  bell — and  the 
janitor  is  large  and  violent  and  Irish,  and  he 
is  probably  halfway  upstairs  by  this  time " 

"Do  you  take  me  for  a  malefactor?"  he 
asked,  astounded. 

20 


Corpus  Delicti 


"  I  am  not  afraid  of  you  in  the  least,"  she 
retorted,  still  keeping  her  ringer  on  the  bell. 

"  Afraid  of  me?    Of  course  you  are  not." 

"  I  am  not!  Although  your  two  suit  cases 
are  probably  packed  with  the  silver  from  my 
dressing  stand." 

"What!" 

"  Then — then — what  have  you  put  into  your 
suit  cases  ?  What  are  you  doing  in  this  apart 
ment?  And  will  you  please  leave  your  suit 
cases  and  escape  immediately  ?  " 

Her  voice  betrayed  a  little  unsteadiness 
now,  and  Edgerton  said : 

"  Please  don't  be  frightened  if  I  seem  to 
remain " 

"  You  are  remaining !  " 

"  Of  course,  I  am."  He  forced  an  embar 
rassed  smile.  "  I've  got  to ;  I  haven't  any 
other  place  to  go.  There  are  all  kinds  of  com 
plications  here,  and  I  think  you  had  better 
listen  to  me  and  stop  ringing.  The  janitor  is 
out  anyway." 

"He  is  not!"  she  retorted,  now  really 
frightened ;  "  I  can  hear  him  coming  up  the 
stairway — probably  with  a  p-pistol " 

Edgerton  turned  red.  "  When  I  next  set 
eyes  on  that  janitor,"  he  said,  "  I'll  probably 
3  21 


Japonette 


knock  his  head  off.  ...  Don't  be  frightened ! 
I  only  meant  it  humorously.  Really,  you  must 
listen  to  me,  because  you  and  I  have  some 
rather  important  matters  to  settle  within  the 
next  few  minutes." 

In  his  growing  perplexity  and  earnestness 
he  placed  his  suit  cases  on  the  rug  and  ad 
vanced  a  step  toward  her,  and  she  shrank 
away,  her  hands  flat  against  the  wall  be 
hind  her,  the  beautiful,  frightened  eyes  fixed 
on  his — and  he  halted. 

"  I  haven't  the  slightest  notion  who  you 
are,"  he  said,  bewildered;  "  but  I'm  pretty 
sure  that  I'm  James  Edgerton,  and  that  this 
is  my  apartment.  But  how  you  happen  to  be 
inhabiting  it  I  can't  guess,  unless  that  rascally 
janitor  sublet  it  to  you  supposing  that  I'd  be 
away  for  another  year  and  never  know  it." 

"You! — James  Edgerton!"  she  exclaimed. 

"  My  steamer  docked  yesterday." 

"  You  are  James  Edgerton  ? — of  Edgerton, 
Tennant  &  Co.  ?  " 

He  began  to  laugh. 

"  I  was  James  Edgerton,  of  Edgerton,  Ten 
nant  &  Co. ;  I  am  now  only  a  silent  partner  in 
Fate,  Destiny  &  Co.  ...  If  you  don't  mind 
— if  you  please — who  are  you?" 
22 


Corpus  Delicti 


"Why,  I'm  Diana  Tennant!" 
"Who?" 

"  Diana  Tennant !  Haven't  you  ever  heard 
of  my  sister  and  me?" 

"  You  mean  you're  those  two  San  Francisco 
nieces  ?  "  he  asked,  astonished. 

"  I'm  one  of  them.  Silvette  is  sitting  on  the 
roof." 

"On— the  roof!" 

"  Yes ;  we  have  a  roof  garden — some  ge 
raniums  and  things,  and  a  hammock.  It's 
just  a  makeshift  until  we  secure  employment. 
...  Is  it  possible  that  you  are  really  James 
Edgerton  ?  And  didn't  you  know  that  we  had 
rented  your  apartment  by  the  month  ?  " 

He  passed  an  uncertain  hand  over  his 
eyes. 

"  Will  you  let  me  sit  down  a  moment  and 
talk  to  you  ?  "  he  said. 

"  Please — of  course.  I  do  beg  your  par 
don,  Mr.  Edgerton.  .  .  .  You  must  under 
stand  how  startling  it  was  to  look  up  and  see 
a  man  standing  there  with  two  suit  cases." 

He  began  to  laugh;  and  after  a  moment 
she  ventured  to  smile  in  an  uncertain,  bewil 
dered  way,  and  seated  herself  in  a  big  velvet 
chair  against  the  light. 

23 


Japonette 


They  sat  looking  at  each  other,  lost  in 
thought:  he  evidently  absorbed  in  the  prob 
lem  before  him;  she,  unquiet,  waiting,  the  re 
flex  of  unhappy  little  perplexities  setting  her 
sensitive  lips  aquiver  at  moments. 

"  You  did  rent  this  apartment  from  the 
janitor  ?  "  he  said  at  length. 

"  My  sister  and  I — yes.  Didn't  he  have 
your  permission?" 

"  No.  .  .  .  But  don't  worry.  .  .  .  I'll  fix  it 
up  somehow ;  we'll  arrange " 

"  It  is  perfectly  horrid !  "  she  exclaimed. 
"  What  in  the  world  can  you  think  of  us  ?  .  .  . 
But  we  were  quite  innocent — it  was  merely 
chance.  Isn't  it  strange,  Mr.  Edgerton ! — 
Silvette  and  I  had  walked  and  walked  and 
walked,  looking  for  some  furnished  apart 
ment  within  our  means  which  we  might  take 
by  the  month ;  and  in  Fifty-sixth  Street 
we  saw  the  sign,  '  Apartment  and  Studio 
to  let  for  the  summer,'  and  we  inquired,  and 
he  let  us  have  it  for  almost  nothing.  .  .  . 
And  we  never  even  knew  that  it  belonged 
to  you!" 

"  To  whom  did  you  draw  your  checks  for 
the  rent?" 

"  We  were  to  pay  the  janitor." 
24 


Corpus  Delicti 


"  Have  you  done  so  ?  "  he  asked  sharply. 

"  N-no.     We   arranged — not  to  pay — until 

we  could  afford  it " 

• "  I'm  glad  of  that !  Don't  you  pay  that 
scoundrel  one  penny.  As  for  me,  of  course 
I  couldn't  think  of  accepting — 

"  Oh,  dear !  oh,  dear !  "  she  said  in  pretty 
despair ;  "  I've  got  to  tell  you  everything  now  ! 
Several  humiliating  things — circumstances — 
very  tragic,  Mr.  Edgerton." 

"  No ;  you  need  not  tell  me  a  single  thing 
that  is  likely  to  distress  you." 

"  But  I've  got  to !  You  don't  understand. 
That  wretched  janitor  has  put  us  in  a  position 
from  which  there  is  absolutely  no  escape.  Be 
cause  I — we  ought  to  go  away  instantly— 
b-but  we — can't !  " 

"  Not  at  all,  Miss  Tennant.  I  ought  to 
leave  you  in  possession,  and  I — I'm  trying  to 
think  out  how  to — to  do  it." 

"  How  can  we  ask  you  to  do  such  a— 

"You  don't  ask;  I've  got  to  find  some 
means — ways — expedients " 

"  But  we  cant  turn  you  out  of  your  own 
place !  " 

"  No;  but  I've  got  to  turn  myself  out.     If 

you'll  just  let  me  think " 

25 


Japonette 


"  I  will — oh,  I  will,  Mr.  Edgerton ;  but 
please,  please  let  me  explain  the  dreadful  and 
humiliating  conditions  first,  so  that  you  won't 
consider  me  absolutely  shameless." 

"  I  don't !  " 

"  You  will  unless  I  tell  you — unless  I  find 
courage  to  tell  you  how  it  is  with  my  sister 
and  me." 

"  I'd  like  to  know,  but  you  must  not  feel 
obliged  to  tell  me." 

"I  do  feel  obliged!  I  must!  We're  poor. 
We've  spent  all  our  money,  and  we  can't  go 
anywhere  else  very  well !  " 

Edgerton  glanced  at  the  luxury  in  the  next 
room,  astonished ;  then  his  gaze  reverted  to  the 
silk-clad  figure  before  him. 

"  You  don't  understand,  of  course,"  she 
said,  flushing.  "  How  could  you  suppose  us 
to  be  almost  penniless  living  here  in  such  a 
beautiful  place  with  all  those  new  trunks  and 
gowns  and  pretty  things !  But  that  is  exactly 
why  we  are  doing  it !  " 

She  leaned  forward  in  her  chair,  the  tint  of 
excitement  in  her  cheeks. 

"  After  the  failure,  Silvette  and  I  hadn't 
anything  very  much ! — you  know  how  every 
thing  of  uncle's  went — "  She  stopped 
26 


Corpus  Delicti 


abruptly.  "  Why — why,  probably  everything 
of  yours  went,  too !  Did  it  ?  " 

He  laughed :  "  Pretty  nearly  everything." 

"Oh!  oh!"  she  cried;  "  what  a  perfectly 
atrocious  complication  !  Perhaps  —  perhaps 
you  haven't  money  enough  to — to  go  some 
where  else  for  a  while.  Have  you?" 

"  Well,  I'll  fix  it  somehow." 

"  Mr.  Edgerton !  "  she  said  excitedly,  "  Sil- 
vette  and  I  have  got  to  go !  " 

"  No,"  he  said  laughing,  "  you've  only  got 
to  go  on  with  your  story,  Miss  Tennant.  I 
am  a  very  interested  and  sympathetic  listener." 

"  Yes,"  she  said  desperately,  "  I  must  go  on 
with  that,  too.  Listen,  Mr.  Edgerton;  we 
thought  a  long  while  and  discussed  everything, 
and  we  concluded  to  stake  everything  on  an 
idea  that  came  to  Silvette.  So  we  drew  out 
all  the  money  we  had  and  we  paid  all  our 
just  debts,  and  we  parted  with  our  chaperone 
— who  was  a  perfect  d-darling — I'll  tell  you 
about  her  sometime — and  we  took  Argent, 
our  cat,  and  came  straight  to  New  York,  and 
we  hunted  and  hunted  for  an  apartment  until 
we  found  this  !  And  then — do  you  know  what 
we  did  ?  "  she  demanded  excitedly. 

"  I  couldn't  guess !  "  said  Edgerton,  smiling. 
27 


Japonctie 


"  We  bought  clothes— beautiful  clothes ! 
And  everything  luxurious  that  we  didn't  have 
we  bought — almost  frightened  to  death  while 
we  were  doing  it — and  then  we  advertised !  " 

"  Advertised !  " 

"  From  here!    Can  you  ever  forgive  us?" 

"  Of  course,"  he  said,  mystified;  "  but  what 
did  you  advertise  ?  " 

"  Ourselves !  " 

"What!" 

"  Certainly ;  and  we've  had  replies,  but  we 
haven't  liked  the  people  so  far.  Indeed,  we 
advertised  in  the  most  respectable  daily,  week 
ly  and  monthly  papers — "  She  sprang  to  her 
feet,  trotted  over  to  the  sofa,  picked  up  an 
illustrated  periodical  devoted  to  country  life, 
and  searching  hastily  through  the  advertising 
pages,  found  and  read  aloud  to  him,  still 
standing  there,  the  following  advertisement : 

"  Two  ladies  of  gentle  birth  and  breeding, 
cultivated  linguists,  musicians,  thoroughly 
conversant  with  contemporary  events,  efficient 
at  auction  bridge,  competent  to  arrange  din 
ners  and  superintend  decorations,  desire  ems- 
ploy  mcnt  in  helping  to  entertain  house  parties, 
week-ends,  or  unwelcome  but  financially  im 
portant  relatives  and  other  visitations,  at  coun- 
28 


Corpus  Delicti 


try  houses,  camps,  bungaloivs,  or  shooting 
boxes. 

"  For  terms  write  to  or  call  at  Apartment 
Five -" 

She  turned  her  flushed  face  toward  him. 

"  Your  address  in  full  follows/'  she  said. 
"  Can  you  ever  bring  yourself  to  forgive 
us?" 

His  astonished  gaze  met  hers.  "  That 
doesn't  worry  me,"  he  said. 

"  It  is  generous  and — splendid  of  you  to 
say  so,"  she  faltered.  "  You  understand  now, 
don't  you?  We  had  to  spend  all  our  money 
on  clothes ;  and  we  thought  ourselves  so  for 
tunate  in  this  beautiful  apartment  because  it 
was  certain  to  impress  people,  and  nobody 
could  possibly  suspect  us  of  poverty  with  that 
great  picture  by  Goya  over  the  mantel  and 
priceless  tapestries  and  rugs  and  porcelains  in 
every  direction — and  our  cat  to  make  it  look  as 
though  we  really  belonged  here."  Her  voice 
trembled  a  moment  on  the  verge  of  breaking 
and  her  eyes  grew  brilliant  as  freshly  washed 
stars,  but  she  lifted  her  resolute  little  head 
and  caught  the  tremulous  lower  lip  in  her 
teeth.  Then,  the  crisis  over,  she  dropped  the 
illustrated  paper,  came  slowly  back  to  her. 


Japonette 


chair  and  sank  down,  extending  her  arms 
along  the  velvet  upholstery  in  silence. 

Between  them,  on  the  floor,  a  sapphire  rug 
stretched  its  ancient  Persian  folds.  He  looked 
at  it  gravely,  thinking  that  its  hue  matched 
her  eyes.  Then  he  considered  more  impor 
tant  matters,  plunging  blindly  into  profound 
abstraction;  and  found  nothing  in  the  depths 
except  that  he  had  no  money  to  go  anywhere, 
but  that  he  must  go  nevertheless. 

He  looked  up  after  a  moment. 

"  Would  you  and  your  sister  think  it  in 
hospitable  of  me  if  I  ask  when  you — I  mean 
—if  I " 

"  I  know  what  you  mean,  Mr.  Edgerton. 
Silvette  and  I  are  going  at  once." 

"  You  can't.  Do  you  think  I'd  permit  it  ? 
Please  remember,  too,  that  you've  advertised 
from  here,  and  you've  simply  got  to  remain 
here.  All  I  meant  to  ask  was  whether  you 
think  it  might  be  for  a  week  or  two  yet,  but, 
of  course,  you  can't  tell — and  forgive  .me 
for  asking — but  I  was  merely  trying  to 
adjust  several  matters  in  my  mind  to  condi 
tions— 

"  Mr.  Edgerton,  we  cannot  remain.  There 
is  not  in  my  mind  the  slightest  doubt  concern- 


Corpus  Delicti 


ing  your  financial  condition.  If  you  could 
let  us  stay  until  we  secured  employment, 
I'd  ask  it  of  you — because  you  are  James 
Edgerton ;  but  you  can't  " — she  rose  with  de 
cision — "  and  I'm  going  up  to  the  roof  to  tell 
Silvette." 

"If  you  stir  I'll  take  those  suit  cases  and 
depart  for  good." 

'  You  are  very  generous — the  Edgertons 
always  were,  I  have  heard,  but  we  cannot  ac 
cept " 

He  interrupted,  smiling :  "  I  think  the  Ten- 
nants  never  needed  instruction  concerning  the 
finer  points  of  obligation."  .  .  .  He  stood  a 
moment  thoughtfully,  turning  over  and  over 
the  two  dollars  in  his  pocket;  then  with  a 
laugh  he  walked  across  the  studio  and  picked 
up  his  suit  cases. 

"  Don't  do  that !  "  she  said  in  a  grave  voice. 

"  There  is  nothing  else  to  do,  Miss  Ten- 
nant." 

"  There's  another  bedroom." 

They  stood,  not  regarding  one  another,  con 
sidering  there  in  the  sunshine. 

"  Will  you  wait  until  I  return  ?  "  she  asked, 
looking  up.  "  I  want  to  talk  to  Silvette.  .  .  . 
I'd  like  to  have  Silvette  see  you.  Will  you 
33 


Japonette 


wait?  Because  I've  come  to  one  of  my  quick 
conclusions — I'm  celebrated  for  them,  Mr. 
Edgerton.  Will  you  wait  ?  " 

"  Yes/'  he  said,  smiling. 

So  she  trotted  away  in  her  little  straw 
sandals  and  flowery  vestments  and  butterfly 
sash;  and  he  began  to  pace  the  studio,  hands 
clasped  behind  him,  trying  to  think  out  mat 
ters  and  ways  and  means — trying  to  see  a  way 
clear  which  offered  an  exit  from  this  com 
plication  without  forcing  him  to  do  that  one 
thing  of  which  he  had  a  steadfast  horror — 
borrow  money  from  a  friend. 

Mingled,  too,  with  his  worried  cogitations 
was  the  thought  of  Henry  Tennant's  nieces — 
these  young  California  girls  of  whom  he  had 
vaguely  heard  without  any  particular  interest. 
New  Yorkers  are  never  interested  in  relatives 
they  never  saw ;  seldom  in  any  relatives  at  all. 
And,  long  ago,  there  had  been  marriage  be 
tween  Tennant  and  Edgerton — in  colonial 
days,  if  he  remembered  correctly;  and,  to  his 
own  slight  surprise,  he  felt  it  now  as  an  added 
obligation.  It  was  not  enough  that  he  efface 
himself  until  they  found  employment ;  more 
than  that  was  due  them  from  an  Edgerton. 
And,  as  he  had  nothing  to  do  it  with,  he  won- 
34 


Corpus  Delicti 


dered  how  he  was  to  do  anything  at  all  for 
these  distant  cousins. 

Standing  there  in  the  sunshine  he  cast  an 
ironical  glance  around  him  at  the  Beauvais 
tapestries,  the  old  masters,  the  carved  furni 
ture  of  Charles  II's  time,  rugs  dyed  with  the 
ancient  splendor  of  the  East,  made  during  the 
great  epoch  when  carpets  of  Ispahan,  Damas 
cus — and  those  matchless  hues  woven  with 
gold  and  silver  which  are  called  Polish — deco 
rated  the  palaces  of  Emperor  and  Sultan. 

Not  one  thing  could  he  sell  under  the  will 
of  Peter  Edgerton  to  save  his  body  from 
starvation  or  his  soul  from  anything  else ;  and 
he  jingled  the  two  dollars  in  his  pocket  and 
thought  of  his  talents,  and  wondered  what 
market  there  might  be  for  any  of  them  in  a 
city  where  bricklayers  were  paid  higher  wages 
than  school  teachers,  and  where  the  wealthy 
employed  others  to  furnish  their  new  and 
gorgeous  houses  with  everything  from  pic 
tures  and  books  to  the  ancient  plate  from 
which  they  ate. 

And,    thinking   of    these    things,    his    ears 
caught  a  slight  rustle  of  silk;  and  he  lifted  his 
head  as  Diana  Tennant  and  her  sister  Silvette 
came  toward  him  through  the  farther  room. 
35 


CHAPTER   III 

SUB   JUDICE 

ISN'T  this  a  mess!"  said  Silvette  in  a 
clear,  unembarrassed  voice,  giving  him 
her  hand.  "  Imagine  my  excitement  up  on 
the  roof,  Mr.  Edgerton,  when  Diana  appeared 
and  told  me  what  a  perfectly  delightful  man 
had  come  to  evict  us !  " 

"  I  didn't  say  it  that  way,"  observed  Diana, 
her  ears  as  pink  as  the  powder-puff  peonies 
above  them.  "  My  sister,"  she  explained,  "  is 
one  of  those  girls  whose  apparent  frankness  is 
usually  nonsense.  I'm  merely  warning  you, 
Mr.  Edgerton." 

Silvette — a  tall  free-limbed,  healthy,  and 
plumper  edition  of  her  sister — laughed.  "  In 
the  first  place,"  she  said,  "  suppose  we  have 
luncheon.  There  is  a  fruit  salad  which  I  pre 
pared  after  breakfast.  Our  maid  is  out,  but 
we  know  how  to  do  such  things,  having  been 
made  to  when  schoolgirls." 
36 


Sub  Judice 


11  You'll  stay,  won't  you  ?  "  asked  Diana. 

"  Poor  Mr.  Edgerton — where  else  is  he  to 
go?"  said  Silvette  calmly.  "  Diana,  if  you'll 
set  places  for  three  at  that  very  beautiful  and 
expensive  antique  table,  I'll  bring  some  agree 
able  things  from  the  refrigerator." 

"  Could  I  be  of  any  use  ?  "  inquired  Edger 
ton,  smiling. 

"  Indeed,  you  can  be.  Talk  to  Diana  and 
explain  to  her  how  respectable  we  are  and  you 
are,  and  how  everything  is  certain  to  be 
properly  arranged  to  everybody's  satisfaction. 
Diana  has  a  very  wonderful  idea,  and  she's 
come  to  one  of  her  celebrated  snap-shot  con 
clusions — a  conclusion,  Mr.  Edgerton,  most 
flattering  to  you.  Ask  her."  And  she  went 
away  toward  the  kitchenette  not  at  all  embar 
rassed  by  her  pretty  morning  attire  nor  by  the 
thick  braid  of  golden  hair  which  hung  to  her 
girdle. 

Diana  cast  a  swift  glance  at  Edgerton,  and, 
seeing  him  smile,  smiled,  too,  and  set  about 
laying  places  for  three  with  snowy  linen, 
crystal,  silver,  and  the  lovely  old  Spode  porce 
lain  which  had  not  its  match  in  all  the  city. 

"  It's  like  a  play  or  a  novel,"  she  said ;  "  the 
hazard  of  our  coming  here  the  way  we  did, 
4  37 


Japonette 


and  of  you  coming  back  to  America;  but,  of 
course,  the  same  cause  operated  in  both  cases, 
so  perhaps  it  isn't  so  remarkable  after  all! 
And  " — she  repressed  a  laugh — "  to  think  that 
I  should  mistake  you  for  a  malefactor !  Did 
it  seem  to  .you  that  I  behaved  in  a  silly  man 
ner?" 

"  On  the  contrary,  you  exhibited  great  dig 
nity  and  courage  and  self-restraint." 

"Do  you  really  mean  it?  I  was  nearly 
scared  blue,  and  I  was  perfectly  certain  you'd 
stuffed  your  suit  cases  full  of  our  toilet  silver. 
Wasn't  it  funny,  Mr.  Edgerton!  And  what 
did  you  think  when  you  looked  into  your 
studio  and  saw  a  woman  ?  " 

"  I  was — somewhat  prepared." 

"  Of  course — after  a  glimpse  into  our  bed 
room!  But  that  must  have  astonished  you, 
didn't  it?" 

"  Slightly.  The  first  thing  I  saw  was  a 
white  cat  staring  at  me  from  the  top  of  a 
trunk." 

She  laughed,  arranging  the  covers  with  deft 
touch. 

"  And  what  next  did  you  see  ?  " 

"  Garments,"  he  explained  briefly. 

"Oh!     Yes,  of  course." 
38 


Sub  Judice 


"  Also  a  silk-flowered  slipper  with  a  very 
high  heel  on  the  threshold." 

"  Mine,"  she  said.  "  You  see,  in  the  days 
of  our  affluence,  I  used  to  have  a  maid.  I 
forget,  and  throw  things  about  sometimes." 

"  You've  a  maid  now,  haven't  you  ?  " 

"  Oh,  just  a  combination  cook  and  waitress 
until  we  can  find  employment.  She's  horridly 
expensive,  too,  but  it  can't  be  helped,  because 
it  would  create  an  unfavorable  impression  if 
Silvie  or  I  answered  the  door  bell." 

"  You're  quite  right,"  he  said ;  "  people  have 
a  curious  aversion  to  employing  those  who 
really  need  it.  Prosperity  never  lacks  em 
ployment.  It's  odd,  isn't  it  ?  " 

"  It's  rather  cruel,"  she  said  under  her 
breath. 

Silvette  came  in  bringing  a  chilled  fruit 
salad,  bread  and  butter,  cold  chicken,  and  tea. 

"  We'll  have  to  put  it  all  on  at  once.  You 
don't  mind,  do  you,  Mr.  Edgerton  ?  " 

He  said  smilingly  but  distinctly :  "  One's 
own  family  can  do  no  wrong.  That  is  my 
creed." 

Diana  looked  up  at  him. 

"  I  wondered  whether  you  knew  we  were 
relations,"  she  said,  flushing  deliciously. 
39 


Japonette 


"  You  see,"  added  Silvette,  "  it  was  not  for 
us  to  remind  you." 

"Of  our  kinship?     Why  not?" 

"  Because  you  might  have  considered  it  an 
added  obligation  toward  us,"  said  Diana, 
blushing. 

"  I  do — a  delightful  one ;  and  it  is  very 
gracious  of  you  to  acknowledge  it." 

"  But  we  don't  mean  to  presume  on  it,"  in 
terrupted  Silvette  hastily.  "  Some  day  we 
really  do  mean  to  regulate  our  financial  obli 
gations  toward  you." 

"  There  are  no  such  obligations.  Please  re 
member  what  roof  covers  you " 

"Mr.  Edgerton!" 

"  And  whose  salt " 

"It's  our  salt,  anyway,"  said  Diana;  "I 
bought  it  myself !  " 

They  seated  themselves,  laughing;  then 
suddenly  Edgerton  remembered,  and  he  went 
away  with  a  hasty  excuse,  only  to  return  again 
with  a  brace  of  decanters. 

"  My  uncle's  port  and  sherry,"  he  said. 

Silvette  jumped  up  and  found  half-a-dozen 
old-time  glasses ;  and  the  luncheon  continued. 

"  Isn't  it  ridiculous !  "  observed  the  young 
fellow,  glancing  around  the  studio ;  "  here  am 
40 


Sub  Judice 


I  surrounded  by  a  fortune  in  idiotic  antiqui 
ties,  lunching  from  a  table  that  the  Metro 
politan  Museum  inherits  after  my  death,  sip 
ping  a  sherry  which  came  from  the  cellars 
of  a  British  monarch — with  two  dollars  and 
several  cents  in  my  pockets,  and  not  the 
slightest  idea  where  to  get  more.  Isn't  it 
funny !  " 

Silvette  forced  a  smile,  then  glanced  signifi 
cantly  at  her  sister.  Diana  said,  gravely : 

"  We  have  several  hundred  dollars.  Would 
you  be  kind  enough  to  let  us  offer  you  what 
you  require  for  immediate  use  until " 

"  Why,  you  blessed  child !  "  he  said,  laugh 
ing,  "  that  isn't  what  worries  me  now !  " 

"  Then — what  is  it  ?  "  inquired  Silvette. 

"  You  and  your  sister." 

"  What  do  you  mean,  Mr.  Edgerton  ?  " 

"  I  mean  that  I'm  worried  over  your  pros 
pects  !  " 

"  Why,  they  are  perfectly  bright ! "  ex 
claimed  Diana.  "  In  a  few  days  somebody 
will  employ  us  to  help  entertain  a  number  of 
stupid  and  wealthy  people.  We'll  make  a 
great  deal  of  money,  I  expect;  don't  you, 
Silvie?" 

"  Certainly ;  but  I'm  wondering  what  Mr. 
43 


Japonette 


Edgerton  is  going  to  do  with  two  dollars  in 
his  pocket  and  us  in  his  apartment." 

"  So  am  I,"  said  Diana. 

"  It's  perfectly  charming  of  you  to  care." 

"  What  an  odd  thing  to  say  to  us !  Is  it  not 
very  natural  to  care?  Besides  your  being  re 
lated,  you  have  also  been  so  considerate  and 
so  nice  to  us  that  we'd  care  anyway,  I  think. 
Don't  you,  Silvie  ?  " 

Silvette  nodded  her  golden-crowned  head. 

"  The  thing  to  do  for  the  present,"  she  said, 
"  is  for  you  to  take  that  farther  room.  It  was 
Diane's  idea,  and  I  entirely  agree  with  her 
— after  seeing  you." 

"  That  was  the  sudden  conclusion  of  which 
I  spoke  to  you,"  explained  Diana.  "  Such 
things  come  to  me  instinctively.  I  thought  to 
myself,  '  If  he  mentions  the  kinship  between 
us,  then  we'll  ask  him  to  remain.'  And  you 
did.  And  we  do  ask  you  ;  don't  we,  Silvie  ?  " 

"  Certainly.  If  two  old  maids  wish  to  en 
tertain  their  masculine  cousin  for  a  week  or 
two,  whose  affair  is  it?  Let  Mrs.  Grundy 
shriek ;  I  don't  care.  Do  you,  Diane  ?  " 

"  No,  I  don't.  Besides,"  she  added  naively, 
"  she's  out  of  town." 

They  all  laughed.  The  germ  of  a  delightful 
44 


Sub  Judice 


understanding  was  beginning  to  take  shape; 
it  had  already  become  nascent  and  was  devel 
oping  in  every  frank  smile,  every  candid 
glance,  every  unembarrassed  question  and 
reply. 

"  We  have  no  parents,"  said  Diana  gravely. 
"  You  have  none,  have  you  ?  " 

"  No,"  he  said. 

"  Then  it  seems  natural  to  me,  our  being 
here  together ;  but  " — and'  Diana  glanced  side 
ways  at  him — "  in  the  East,  I  believe,  people 
consider  relationship  of  little  or  no  impor 
tance." 

He  sipped  his  sherry,  reflecting. 

"As  a  rule,"  he  said;  "  but  "—and  he 
laughed — "  if  any  Easterner  even  suspected 
he  had  two  such  California  cousins,  he'd  start 
for  the  Pacific  coast  without  his  breakfast !  " 

"  Did  you  ever  hear  anything  half  as  ami 
able  ?  "  asked  Silvette,  laughing. 

"  I  never  did,"  replied  Diana ;  "  especially 
as  we're  probably  his  twenty-second  cousins." 

"  That  distance  may  lend  an  enchantment 
to  the  obligations  of  kinship !  "  he  said  gayly. 

Diana  looked  up,  grave  as  a  youthful  Japa 
nese  goddess. 

"  You  don't  mean  that,  do  you  ?  " 
45 


Japonette 


"  No,  I  don't,"  he  said,  reddening.  "  If  I 
did,  the  janitor  ought  to  throw  me  out." 

Silvette  nodded  seriously. 

"  We  know  you  said  it  in  joke ;  but  the 
only  straw  to  float  Diane's  idea  is  our  kinship, 
Mr.  Edgerton.  And  we  grasped  at  it — for 
your  sake." 

"  Please  cling  to  it  for  your  own  sakes, 
too,"  he  said,  also  very  serious  now ;  "  it  may 
become  a  plank  to  float  us  all.  ...  I  realize 
the  point  you  are  straining  out  of  kindness  to 
me.  If  I  accept  shelter  here  for  a  day  or  two, 
I  shall  know  very  well  what  it  costs  you  to 
offer  it." 

"  It  doesn't  cost  us  anything,"  interrupted 
Diana  hastily.  "  Silvette  meant  only  that  you 
should  understand  why  our  consciences  and 
common  sense  sanction  your  remaining  if  we 
remain." 

"  You  must  remain  anyway !  "  he  said. 

"  So  must  you,  cousin,"  said  Silvette,  laugh 
ing.  "  Anyway,  you've  probably  sent  your 
trunks  here — haven't  you  ?  " 

"  By  jinks !  I  forgot  that !  "  he  exclaimed. 
I  believe  that  racket  on  the  stairs  means  that 
my  trunks  are  arriving !  " 

It  did  mean  exactly  that.     And  when  Ed- 


Sub  Judice 


gerton  went  out  to  the  landing  he  encoun 
tered  two  expressmen  staggering  under  the 
luggage,  and,  behind  them,  the  terrified  jan 
itor  who  had  returned,  and  who,  on  the  ad 
vent  of  the  baggage,  had  hurried  upstairs  to 
summarily  evict  the  illegal  lodgers  before  Ed- 
gerton's  arrival. 

Now,  at  sight  of  Edgerton  himself,  the 
Irishman  turned  white  with  horror  and  clung 
to  the  banisters  for  support;  but  Edgerton 
only  said  pleasantly :  "  Hello,  Mike !  I  hope 
you've  made  my  cousins  comfortable.  I'll  be 
here  for  a  day  or  two.  Bring  up  any  mail 
there  may  be  for  me,  and  see  that  the  landing 
is  properly  dusted  after  this." 

He  came  back  to  the  studio  intensely 
amused. 

"  I  thought  that  guilty  Irishman  would 
faint  on  the  stairs  when  he  saw  me,"  he  said. 
"  I  merely  said  that  I  hoped  he'd  looked  out 
for  my  cousins'  comfort.  .  .  .  You  know,"  he 
added  laughingly,  "  I'm  anything  except  angry 
at  him." 

Silvette  rose  from  the  table  and  strolled 
over  toward  him. 

"  Are  you  really  glad  to  know  us  ? "  she 
asked  curiously.  "  We've  heard  that  New 
47 


Japonette 


Yorkers  are1  not  celebrated  for  their  enthusi 
asm  over  poor  relatives  from  the  outer  dark 
ness.'' 

"  New  Yorkers,"  he  said,  "  are  not  different 
from  any  other  creatures  segregated  in  a  self- 
imposed  and  comfortable  captivity.  People 
who  have  too  much  of  anything  are  spoiled  to 
that  extent — ignorant  to  that  degree — selfish 
and  prejudiced  according  to  the  term  of  their 
imprisonment.  All  over  the  world  it  is  the 
same;  the  placidity  of  self-approval  and  self- 
absorption  is  the  result  of  local  isolation. 
We're  not  stupid ;  we  merely  have  so  much  to 
look  at  that  we  don't  care  what  may  take 
place  outside  our  front  gate.  But  if  anybody 
opens  our  gate  and  comes  in,  he'll  have  no 
trouble,  because  he'll  be  as  much  of  a  New 
Yorker  as  anybody  really  is.J> 

Silvette  laid  her  head  on  one  side  and,  draw 
ing  the  heavy  burnished  braid  of  hair  over  her 
left  shoulder,  rebraided  the  end  absently. 

"  Is  it,"  she  inquired,  "  because  we  are 
merely  attractive  that  you  mentioned  the  re 
lationship  ?  " 

"  I'm  afraid  it's — partly  that,"  he  admitted, 
reddening  and  glancing  askance  at  Diana. 

"  Stop  tormenting  him  !  "  said  Diana.  "  He's 
48 


Sub  Judice 


candid,  anyhow.  It's  very  fortunate  all 
around,  anyway,"  she  added  naively;  though 
exactly  why  she  considered  it  fortunate  to 
meet  a  man  with  two  dollars  in  his  pocket  and 
the  legal  right  to  evict  her,  she  did  not  ex 
plain  to  herself. 

Silvette,  caressing  her  braid  with  deft  fin 
gers,  mused  aloud :  "  It's  very  noble  of  him  to 
claim  relationship  with  two  poverty-stricken 
old  maids  from  the  Pacific  coast.  Don't  you 
think  so,  Diane  ?  "  And  she  glanced  up  with 
a  bewitching  smile  that  had  in  it  a  glint  of 
malice. 

"  Stop  tormenting  him !  "  repeated  Diana. 
"  We're  pretty  and  young,  and  he  knows  it 
and  we  know  it.  What's  the  use  in  speculat 
ing  about  what  he  might  have  done  if  we  were 
not  attractive?  He's  perfectly  satisfied  with  his 
western  cousins — aren't  you  ?  "  glancing  up. 

"  Perfectly,"   he  said. 

Diana  nodded  emphatically. 

"  Do  you  hear,  Silvie  ?  He  says  he  is  per 
fectly  satisfied  with  us,  and  he  is  a  typical  New 
Yorker.  Therefore,  we  need  not  be  at  all  dis 
turbed  about  our  capacity  for  entertaining 
anybody,  if  somebody  will  only  offer  us  em 
ployment." 

51 


Japonette 


Silvette  looked  around  at  him.  "  I'd  like  to 
have  you  see  us  in  our  afternoon  gowns ;  I  be 
lieve  you'd  really  be  rather  proud  of  the  re 
lationship." 

"  Good  Lord !  "•  he  exclaimed,  half  laugh 
ing,  half  annoyed ;  "  I'm  proud  of  it  anyway. 
What  on  earth  do  you  think  a  New  Yorker 
is?" 

"  We've  seen  some"  said  Diana  meaningly. 
"  Several  came  here  in  answer  to  our  adver 
tisement.  But  we  knew,  of  course,  that  your 
type  existed,  too." 

"Have  you  been — annoyed?" 

Silvette  laughed.  "  One  man,  of  very  red 
complexion,  inquired  if  Diana  would  act  as  his 
housekeeper.  He  had  several  country  places, 
he  said." 

"  There  was  a  woman  came ;  we  didn't  care 
for  her,"  added  Diana  thoughtfully.  Then, 
lifting  her  head,  she  looked  at  Edgerton  with 
a  gaze  so  pure  and  sweet,  so  exquisitely  can 
did,  that  he  felt  his  heart  stop  for  a  moment. 
Then  the  blood  mounted  to  his  face — to  the 
roots  of  his  hair. 

"  Take  me  into  your  partnership,"  he  said 
impulsively ;  "  will  you  ?  " 

"  What ! " 

52 


Sub  Judice 


"Can  you?    Is  it  all  right?" 

"  I  don't  know  what  you  mean ! "  said 
Diana. 

"  Why  couldn't  I  help  entertain  week-ends 
with  you  ?  " 

The  proposition  seemed  to  astound  them  all, 
even  the  young  fellow  who  had  made  it. 

For  a  moment  they  all  stood  silent;  then, 
pursuing  his  own  impulsive  idea  toward  a 
plausible  conclusion,  he  said :  "  Why  not, 
after  all?  It  would  make  a  better  com 
bination  than  two  young  girls  alone.  I've 
clothes — two  trunks  in  there,  two  more  at 
the  customs — London  made  and  duty  paid! 
.  .  .  Why  not  ?  It's  a  good  combination.  The 
more  I  think  of  it  the  better  I  like  it!  " 

He  began  to  pace  to  and  fro  nervously. 

"  I  know  a  lot  of  people — the  right  kind. 
I'm  not  ashamed  to  ask  them  to  employ  me. 
There  is  no  reason  why  a  Tennant  or  an  Ed- 
gertqn  should  not  be  in  their  houses " 

"  But,"  said  Silvette  quietly,  "  the  right  sort 
of  people,  as  you  call  them,  have  no  need  of 
asking  anybody  to  aid  them  in  entertaining. 
It  is  very  generous  of  you,  Mr.  Edgerton,  but 
don't  you  see  that  services  of  our  kind  will 
be  accepted  only  by — by  newcomers,  newly 
5  53 


Japonette 


wealthy  people — those  whose   circle  is   small 
and  not  very  select." 

"  Yes,  that  is  so,"  he  said  so  forlornly  that 
Diana  watched  him  curiously,  and  a  delicate 
color  came  into  her  cheeks  as  he  looked  up 
again,  eager,  radiant. 

"  That's  true,"  he  repeated;  "but  if  I  can't 
do  anything  in  that  way  for  us  among  the 
right  sort,  at  least  the  other  kind  will  have 
a  man  to  reckon  with "  —  he  glanced  at 
Diana  grimly  now  — "  when  they  inquire 
about  housekeepers,  and  when  women  whom 
you  do  not  care  for  reply  to  your  advertise 
ments." 

"  That  is  rather  a  nice  thing  to  say,"  ob 
served  Silvette,  looking  at  him  out  of  her 
dark  eyes.  "  But  we  know — a  number  of 
things.  We  are  not  a  bit  afraid,  and — you 
would  not  care  to — endure  the  kind  of  people 
likely  to  employ  us." 

"  I  can  endure  what  you  can.  I'd  like  to  do 
it.  ...  Would  you  rather  not  have  me?" 

"  Why,  I — it  would  be  delightful — charm 
ing — but  we  had  not  even  dreamed  of  such  a 
thing." 

He  turned  to  Diana.  "Will  you  let  me 
try?" 

54 


Sub  Judice 


She  said,  confused :  "  I  hadn't  thought  of 
such  a  thing.  .  .  .  Could  it  be  done  ?  " 

"  Why  not?"  asked  Silvette,  immensely  in 
terested.  "  When  people  come,  we  can  say, 
'  We  and  'our  cousin,  Mr.  Edgerton,  are  as 
sociated  as  social  entertainers.' ': 

"  Oh,  if  you  put  it  that  way  they'll  think  he 
does  Punch  and  Judy  and  we  dance  queer 
dances !  "  exclaimed  Diana  in  consternation. 

Edgerton  threw  back  his  head  and  laughed, 
utterly  unable  to  control  his  merriment,  and 
Silvette  caught  the  infection,  and  her  clear, 
delicious  laughter  rilled  the  sunny  studio.  She 
showed  her  white  teeth  when  she  laughed. 

"  Oh,  it  is  perfectly  horrid  of  me  to  think 
of  such  a  thing,  but  I  can't  help  thinking  of 
three  trained  acrobats,"  said  Silvette,  breath 
less.  "  Does  it  seem  funny  for  three  of  us  to 
be  associated  in  entertaining  guests?  Does  it, 
Mr.  Edgerton  ?  Or  am  I  only  frivolous  ?  " 

After  their  laughter  had  ceased,  and  their 
breath  had  returned,  he  said :  "  Wherever  we 
go — whoever  employs  us — the  other  guests 
will  suppose  us  to  be  guests,  too.  Only  the 
guilty  millionaire  from  outer  darkness  with  a 
new  house  on  Fifth  Avenue  and  a  newer  one 
in  the  country  will  know." 
55  - 


Japonette 


Silvette  said :  "  Do  you  realize  that  it  is  per 
fectly  dear  of  you  to  propose  such  a  thing?  " 

Diana  said  nothing. 

Silvette  went  on :  "I  know  perfectly  well 
— and  you  know,  too — that  your  name  would 
be  worth  almost  anything  to  the  wealthy  snob 
who  employs  us." 

Diana  said  nothing. 

"  To  have  an  Edgerton  as  a  guest  would 
elevate  our  prospective  employer  to  the  sev 
enth  heaven  of  snobbery,"  said  Silvette.  "  Di 
ane  and  I  would  shine  serenely  in  the  reflected 
relationship " 

"  Don't  make  fun  of  me/'  he  said. 

"  Why,  I'm  not.  I  really  mean  it.  My  in 
stincts  have  been  so  warped  and  materialized 
and  commercialized  that  here  I  am  seriously 
proposing  to  make  family  capital  out  of  the 
name  of  one  branch  of  the  family.  I  really 
do  mean  it,  Mr.  Edgerton." 

"  No,"  said  Diana  quietly. 

He  turned  toward  her. 

"  Do  you  vote  against  me  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  Don't,  please,"  he  said,  looking  at  her. 

She  met  his  eye  calmly  for  a  moment,  then 
looked  at  her  sister. 

56 


Sub  Judice 


"  'Do  you  think  it  a  decent  thing  to  do  ?  " 
she  asked ;  "  our  making  plans  to  live  on  Mr. 
Edgerton  ?  " 

"  Good  heavens ! "  he  said  impatiently, 
"  my  being  part  of  a  family  combination  isn't 
going  to  alter  your  success  in  any  way." 

"  Your  name  makes  it  sure." 

"  Your  youth  and  beauty  and  good  breed 
ing  make  it  sure.  My  name  has  nothing  to 
do  with  it." 

"  Then  why  do  you  propose  it?  " 

He  laughed.  "  Because  I've  got  to  make  a 
living,  too." 

"  There  are  less  humiliating  ways  of  mak 
ing  a  living — for  you,"  said  Diana  steadily. 

He  looked  first  at  Silvette,  then  at  her,  de 
liberately,  and  his  face  altered. 

"  I  want  to  look  out  for  you,"  he  said,  "  and 
that's  the  plain  truth." 

"That,"  observed  Silvette,  "is  the  nicest 
thing  he's  said  yet,  Diane."  She  walked  up  to 
him  and  stood  serenely  inspecting  him. 

"  /  vote  for  you.  Diane,  let's  admit  him. 
We're  a  poverty-stricken  family,  and  we  ought 
to  combine.  Besides,  I  like  him  to  feel  the 
way  he  does  about  us — not  that  it's  necessary, 
of  course — but  it's — pleasant." 
57 


Japonette 


"  I  haven't  any  cash,"  said  Edgerton,  "  but 
I've  this  apartment,  which  nobody  can  take 
away  even  if  I  starve ;  and  I've  some  very  fine 
clothes.  .  .  .  Won't  you  vote  for  me,  Di 
ana  ? "  he  added  so  naturally  that  neither 
seemed  to  notice  his  use  of  her  first  name. 

Silvette  waited  a  moment,  watching  her  sis 
ter  ;  then  she  said  briskly :  "  Let's  dress.  We'll 
inspect  your  beautiful  British  clothing,  cousin, 
and  you  shall  see  our  prettiest  afternoon 
gowns.  Then  we  can  tell  better  how  such  a 
combination  would  look.  Shall  we  ?  " 

Edgerton  said  to  Diana :  "  Don't  you  want 
me?  " 

She  replied  slowly :  "  I — don't — know," 
looked  up  at  him,  straight  at  him,  thought 
fully. 

"  People  may  come  at  any  time  after  two 
o'clock,"  said  Silvette.  "  If  they  find  you  in 
flowered  silk  and  a  butterfly  sash  and  me  in  a 
pigtail,  they  will  certainly  expect  dances  from 
us  and  probably  Punch  and  Judy  from  our 
cousin." 

She  laughed,  and  extended  her  hand  to  Ed 
gerton. 

"  I  like  you,  cousin ;  Diane  does,  too.  When 
you're  dressed  in  your  best,  come  back  to  the 

58 


Sub  Judice 


studio  and  we'll  arrive  at  some  kind  of  a  con 
clusion." 

Diana  nodded  to  him  as  she  passed  with  her 
sister.  The  questioning  gravity  of  her  ex 
pression  reminded  him  of  a  child  who  has  not 
yet  made  up  its  mind  to  like  you.  She  wore 
the  bluest  eyes  he  had  ever  seen,  and  the  most 
enchanting  mouth — the  unspoiled  mouth  of 
childhood. 

When  they  entered  their  room  he  went  out 
by  the  hallway  to  his. 

Standing  there,  fumbling  with  tie  and  col 
lar,  his  absent  gaze  followed  the  checkered 
sun  spots  moving  on  the  wall  as  the  curtain 
moved;  and,  gradually,  there  in  the  half  light, 
the  blue  eyes  seemed  to  take  winsome  shape 
and  hue,  and  he  said  aloud  to  himself : 

"  Anyway,  somebody  ought  to  look  after 
her.  .  .  .  She  can't  go  roaming  about  like 
this." 


CHAPTER   IV 

IN    LOCO    PARENTIS 

BHAVED,  bathed,  and  his  person  adorned 
with  his  most  fashionable  lounging  suit 
for  a  summer  afternoon,  Edgerton  sauntered 
out  of  his  room  and  met  the  maid  in  the  hall 
way.  She  had  returned  in  time  to  answer  the 
door ;  evidently  also  she  had  already  been  en 
lightened  as  to  his  identity,  so  he  passed  her 
with  a  nod  and  a  smile,  and  entered  the  studio 
just  as  the  door  bell  rang. 

Neither  Silvette  nor  Diana  had  yet  ap 
peared,  nor  had  he  been  instructed  what  to 
say  to  those  who  might  call  in  answer  to  the 
advertisement.  He  looked  up  doubtfully  as 
the  maid  announced  a  Mr.  Rivett  and  a  Colo 
nel  Curmew,  and  he  stepped  forward  as  these 
two  gentlemen  were  ushered  in. 

"  How  d'you  do  ? "  he  said  pleasantly. 
"  My  cousins  will  be  in  directly.  I  am  James 
Edgerton  3d." 

60 


In  Loco  Parentis 


Colonel  Curmew,  a  jaunty  gentleman  of  less 
than  middle  height  and  age,  looked  at  him  out 
of  a  pair  of  eyes  slightly  inclined  to  pop.  He 
appeared  to  be  rather  a  good-looking  man  at 
first  glance,  with  a  perceptible  military  cut 
which,  however,  seemed  to  threaten  something 
akin  to  a  strut.  He  didn't  exactly  strut  when 
he  stepped,  but  he  held  himself  very  erect — 
the  more  so  perhaps  because  he  seemed  to 
lack  something  else — perhaps  height. 

He  knew  Edgerton  perfectly  well  by  sight 
and  reputation ;  and  when  he  sat  down  he  was 
still  looking  at  him  out  of  his  full,  pale  eyes. 

Mr.  Rivett  also  seated  himself — a  little  man 
with  a  walrus  mustache  who  somehow  looked 
as  though,  under  his  loosely  cut  clothes,  his 
slight  physique  was  steel  framed. 

He  put  on  his  glasses  and  looked  at  Edger 
ton  out  of  two  little  unwinking  eyes  which 
reminded  the  young  fellow  of  holes  burned  in 
a  blanket. 

"  I  came,"  he  said  cautiously,  "  in  answer 
to  a  somewhat  unusual  advertisement." 

"  Yes,"  said  Edgerton  pleasantly,  "  we  ad 
vertised." 

"If    I    recollect,"    continued    Mr.    Rivett, 
"you  did  not  figure  in  the  advertisement." 
61 


Japonette 


"  No,"  replied  Edgerton,  smiling ;  "  my 
cousins  possess  the  family  talents ;  I'm  super 
numerary — merely  thrown  in.  My  services 
are  not  worth  very  much ;  I  ride  and  shoot,  of 
course,  and  all  that,  but  I  don't  talk  very  well 
and  my  dancing  is  the  limit." 

"  I  see." 

Edgerton  nodded  serenely. 

Colonel  Curmew  passed  a  carefully  gloved 
hand  over  his  trimly  curled  military  mustache. 
Edgerton  glanced  at  him  and  wondered  just 
what  was  the  matter  with  his  face,  which 
ought  to  have  been  good-looking.  Perhaps 
the  short,  closely  cropped  side  whiskers  ex 
tending  to  the  lobes  of  the  ears  slightly  cheap 
ened  the  mustache,  and  vulgarized  the  man 
a  little. 

Colonel  Curmew  said : 

"  I  have  never  had  the  honor  of  knowing 
you,  Mr.  Edgerton,  but  your  name  and  face 
are  very  familiar  to  me  on  Fifth  Avenue." 

"  My  people  have  lived  on  Fifth  Avenue 
for — some  time,"  replied  the  young  fellow, 
smiling;  and  caught  Mr.  Rivett's  burnt-brown 
gaze  fixed  steadily  upon  him. 

"  Everybody,"  said  Colonel  Curmew,  sit 
ting  very  erect,  but  not  exactly  swaggering, 
62 


In  Loco  Parent  is 


"  everybody  in  town  regretted  to  hear  of  your 
family's  financial  misfortune,  Mr.  Edgerton." 

"  It's  very  good  of  them  to  regret  it.  Nat 
urally,  also,  that  unexpected  catastrophe  ex 
plains  my  cousins'  desire  for  employment  as 
well  as  my  own." 

"  I  see,"  said  Mr.  Rivett,  never  taking  his 
eyes  off  Edgerton. 

There  was  a  pause;  Colonel  Curmew 
stroked  his  mustache  and  stared  around  at  the 
tapestries  and  pictures.  He  evidently  realized 
what  they  might  bring  at  auction. 

"  You  are  a  lover  of  the  antique,  sir,"  he 
observed. 

"  Oh,  I  don't  exactly  love  it.  These  things 
belonged  to  my  uncle.  The  museum  gets  them 
ultimately." 

"  Ah !  a  case  of  the  dead  hand?  " 

"  Mort  main,"  nodded  the  young  man  in 
differently. 

<k  I  see,"  said  Mr.  Rivett ;  and  suddenly  it 
occurred  to  Edgerton  that  this  explanation 
was,  perhaps,  one  of  the  unuttered  questions 
with  which  Mr.  Rivett's  bony  countenance 
seemed  crowded.  But  the  little  man  had  not 
yet  asked  a  single  one ;  and  it  may  have  been 
in  response  to  the  steady,  silent  interrogation 

63 


Jap  one  tie 


of  those  gimlet  eyes  that  Edgerton  was  moved 
to  further  explanation. 

"  My  cousins  are  Californians ;  I  am  a  New 
Yorker,  as  you  know.  We  have  combined 
forces  from  economical  and  family  motives. 
It  is  necessary  that  we  find  employment, 
so — "  and  he  smiled  at  Mr.  Rivett — "  we  have 
asked  for  it." 

Mr.  Rivett  sat  impassive  behind  his  big, 
round  spectacles.  His  walrus  mustache  pre 
vented  anybody  from  seeing  his  mouth;  his 
eyes  now  resembled  two  little  charred  holes. 
It  was  utterly  impossible  to  divine  what  he 
might  be  thinking  about,  or  even  whether  he 
was  doing  anything  at  all  except  waiting. 
Somehow,  it  occurred  to  Edgerton  that  Mr. 
Rivett  had  done  a  great  deal  of  waiting  in  his 
career. 

Colonel  Curmew  had  now  risen,  and  was 
strolling  about  examining  the  antiquities  when 
the  folding  doors  slid  back  and  Silvette  and 
Diana  came  into  the  studio. 

Edgerton  rose  and  presented  Mr.  Rivett 
and  the  colonel ;  the  young  girls  spoke  to  them 
with  quiet  self-possession,  and  presently  every 
body  was  again  seated.  Except  for  the  colo 
nel,  the  attitude  of  everybody  suggested  a  busi- 


In  Loco  Parentis 


ness  gathering  of  people  pleasantly  receptive 
to  any  business  proposition,  but  that  jaunty 
warrior's  pale  eyes  popped  and  his  smile  was 
of  the  sort  termed  "  killing  " ;  and  he  curled 
his  mustache  continually  with  caressing  fin 
gers,  and  presently  shot  his  cuffs. 

Mr.  Rivett  broke  the  silence  somewhat 
abruptly : 

"  As  far  as  I  am  concerned,  the  matter  is 
settled." 

There  was  another  silence;  then  Silvette 
ventured :  "  I  beg  your  pardon.  I  don't  think 
we  understood." 

"  I  say,  as  far  as  /  am  concerned,  the  mat 
ter  is  settled/'  repeated  Mr.  Rivett.  "  I  ask 
no  further  information  regarding  these  young 
ladies  " — turning  slightly  toward  Edgerton — 
"  nor  about  you,  sir.  I  am  satisfied,  and  Mrs. 
Rivett  will  be." 

Diana  and  Silvette  seemed  surprised;  Ed 
gerton  wore  a  preoccupied  expression,  his  eyes 
narrowing  on  the  big  eyeglasses  of  Mr.  Rivett 
which  reflected  the  studio  window  on  their 
convex  surface. 

"  About  myself,"  continued  Mr.  Rivett  with 
more  abruptness,  "  I  have  a  house  in  New 
York,  which  is  closed,  and  one  or  two  others ; 
67 


Japonette 


one  in  particular  where  my  family  is  living 
— my  wife,  son,  and  daughter.  It's  called 
Adriutha  Lodge ;  I  don't  know  why — my  wife 
named  it.  It's  comfortable  and  -big  enough 
to  entertain  in." 

He  looked  at  Silvette  without  a  particle  of 
expression  in  his  face. 

"  I  would  like  you — both  of  you  young 
ladies — and  your  cousin,  Mr.  Edgerton,  to  help 
us  entertain.  If  we  knew  how  to  entertain 
successfully  we  wouldn't  ask  anybody  to  show 
us  how.  It  is  better  to  be  plain  about  it.  We 
are  plain  folk  from  a  small  town  in  the  West. 
We  know  very  few  people ;  we  m'ean  to  know 
more.  I've  come  to  this  city  to  remain;  I 
want  to  make  as  few  mistakes  as  possible 
socially.  What  I  wish  you  to  do  is  to  help  me 
out.  Will  you  ?" 

After  a  moment  Diana  asked :  "  Where  is 
Adriutha  Lodge  ?  " 

"  In  the  Berkshires.     Will  you  come  ?  " 

She  glanced  at  the  colonel,  but  he  was 
staring  so  fixedly  at  her  that  she  looked 
away. 

"  We  might  consider  it,"  said  Silvette,  turn 
ing  toward  Edgerton. 

"  Couldn't  you  consider  it  at  once?"  asked 
68 


hi  Loco  Parentis 


Mr.  Rivett.  Evidently  this  little  man  with 
his  glasses  and  his  protuberant  mustache  had 
his  own  methods  of  accelerating  business. 

"  You  have  mentioned  no  terms/'  said  Ed- 
gerton. 

"  Oh!  Am  I  to  mention  them?  I  expected 
you  had  your  own  ideas  on  that  subject.  Very 
well,  then."  And  the  offer  he  made  left  them 
silent  and  a  little  shy.  It  seemed  too  much. 

Edgerton  said  laughingly  to  Diana: 

"  Suppose  we  consult  in  your  room — if  Mr. 
Rivett  doesn't  mind  our  withdrawing  for  a 
moment." 

"  Go  ahead,"  nodded  Rivett  energetically ; 
"  that's  exactly  what  I  want — quick  action.  I 
like  quick  results." 

So  Silvette  and  Diana  and  Edgerton  rose 
and  entered  the  room  in  single  file,  closing  be 
hind  them  the  folding  doors. 

"  Well !  "  breathed  Diana,  sitting  down  on 
the  edge  of  the  bed,  "  did  you  ever  before  see 
a  man  of  that  kind  ?  " 

Silvette  turned  to  Edgerton.  "  What  do 
you  think  of  him,  cousin? ' 

"  Why,  I  rather  like  that  dried-tip  little 
chip,"  he  said.  "  He's  about  the  grade  of  citi 
zen  we  expected." 

6  69 


Japonettc 


"We?"  repeated  Diana  meaningly;  "do 
you  expect  to  go  with  us  ?  " 

"  Are  you  going  to  force  me  out  of  this  per 
fectly  good  combination,  Diana?" 

The  girl  sat  silent  on  the  bed's  edge  regard 
ing  him,  but  not  answering. 

"  There's  one  thing  which  ought  to  be  set 
tled  now,"  observed  Silvette;  "if  our  cousin, 
Mr.  Edgerton,  is  to  remain  in  this  firm,  we've 
got  to  call  him  Jim,  if  only  for  appearance' 
sake.  Otherwise  people  would  chatter." 

"  Jim  ?  "  repeated  Diana ;  "  very  well,  it 
doesn't  embarrass  me  to  call  him  Jim — or  Tom 
or  Bill,  for  that  matter,"  she  added  indiffer 
ently. 

"  It  doesn't  worry  me,  either,"  said  Edger 
ton  ;  "  call  me  anything  but  early." 

"  Such  a  poor  joke !  "  said  Silvette ;  "  if  we 
ever  call  you,  cousin,  it  will  be  a  very  late 
affair — and  with  nothing  under  a  full  house." 

"Poker! — and  you!  What  an  incredible 
combination  !  "  he  said. 

Diana  interrupted  coolly:  "If  you  please, 
Mr.  Edgerton,  what  is  your  valuable  and 
masculine  opinion  concerning  this  munificent 
offer  for  the  summer  ? "  And  she  let  her 
glance  rest  slowly  and  sideways  on  her  sister. 
70 


In  Loco  Parent  is 


;<  Take  it,"  he  said ;  "  it's  a  good  offer." 

"  Is  that  your  vote  ?  "  inquired  Silvette. 

"  Have  I  a  vote  ?  "  he  asked  of  Diana ;  but 
she  merely  said :  "  I  say  we  try  the  Rivetts  of 
Adriutha.  That  is  my  vote." 

"Then— so  do  I  say  so,"  nodded  Silvette. 
"Is  it  settled?" 

Diana  looked  up  at  Edgerton. 

"  Are  you  really  expecting  to  come  with 
us?" 

"  If  you  will  let  me." 

She  remained  a  moment  in  thought,  then 
sprang  lightly  to  her  feet. 

"Who  is  going  to  be  our  spokesman?  "  she 
asked;  "you,  sister?"  % 

"  Jim,"  said  Silvette,  tranquilly  leading  the 
way.  "  It  looks  better,  I  think." 

So  Edgerton  politely  informed  Mr.  Rivett 
of  their  unanimous  decision,  and  that  little 
man  got  briskly  to  his  feet. 

"  I'm  satisfied,"  he  said.  "  Come  to  Adriu 
tha  as  soon  as  you  are  ready.  Bring  all  the 
luggage  you  want  to  bring;  there's  plenty  of 
room.  Don't  bring  any  servants ;  there  are 
more  than  enough  there  now.  My  wife  and 
I  receive  you  as  guests ;  my  son  and  daughter 
are  about  your  ages ;  nobody  can  prophesy 


Japonette 


what  you'll  think  of  them  or  they  of  you.  .  .  . 
Colonel — if  you  are  ready.  .  .  .  Good-by, 
ma'am,"  to  Silvette,  offering  a  dry  little  hand ; 
and  he  took  his  leave  of  Diana  and  of  Edger- 
ton,  and  pulled  the  colonel  unceremoniously 
out  of  a  most  elegant  attitude,  ruining  a 
jaunty  bow  which  he  had  not  intended  to  fin 
ish  so  abruptly. 

"  Well,"  exclaimed  Silvette  with  a  sigh  and 
a  laugh  as  the  door  closed,  "  it's  settled !  Let's 
forget  it.  ...  What  do  you  think  of  our 
gowns,  cousin  James  ?  " 

"  Corking,"  he  replied ;  "  but  my  cousin 
Diana  was  very  fetching  in  her  Japanese  dress 
this  morning." 

"  That's  like  a  man  !  "  observed  Diana.  "  I 
was  a  mess,  Silvie — with  two  ragged  peonies 
over  my  ears  and  those  old  straw  sandals  of 
yours " 

"  You  were  a  vision  of  Japanese  fairyland," 
he  insisted.  "  I  may  be  weak-minded,  but  I 
simply  cannot  get  that  vision  of  you  out  of 
my  head." 

"  Try  some  tea,"  as  the  maid  brought  it ; 
"  weak  tea  and  feeble  intellects  agree." 

"  Oh,  I'll  try  tea  or  anything  else,  but  if  you 
think  I'm  likely  to  forget  the  first  moment  I 
72 


In  Loco  Parent  is 


ever  saw  you — a  slender,  Japanese  shadow 
shape  against  the  sun ! — ethereal,  vaguely 
tinted,  exquisite " 

"  You  are  a  poet,  Jim,"  said  Silvette  ad 
miringly.  "  I  read  one  of  your  rhymes  in 
Life  once,  and  didn't  think  so." 

"  Diana  made  me  a  poet.  If  you'd  seen  her 
as  she  came  stealing  across  the  window,  which 
was  all  glittering  like  a  Japanese  sunburst, 
you'd  have  become  a  poet,  too !  "  He  began  to 
laugh.  "  I  even  created  a  name  for  you, 
Diana;  it  came  to  me — was  already  on  my 
lips " 

"What  name?"  she  asked,  looking  com 
posedly  at  him. 

"  Japonette  I  ...  7  never  before  heard  such 
a  name.  I  don't  believe  there  ever  was  such 
a  name  before  it  suddenly  twitched  at  my  lips 
for  utterance !  Japonette  !  " 

"  Why  didn't  you  utter  it  if  you  were  so 
enchanted  with  your  discovery?" 

"  Because  you  seemed  to  be  sufficiently 
scared  as  it  was." 

She  shrugged,  and  handed  him  his  tea. 
"  Japonette,"  she  repeated  reflectively ;  "  I 
don't  know  whether  or  not  I  care  for  it.  It 
sounds  frivolous." 

73 


Japonettc 


11  Which  you  are  not !  " 

She  lifted  her  blue  eyes  to  his. 

"  You  think  I  am,"  she  said. 

"  No,  I  don't." 

"  You  know  I  am,"  she  said,  and  presented 
herself  with  a  small  tea  cake.  Into  it  she  bit 
once ;  then  raised  her  eyes,  watching  her  sister 
manipulating  the  alcohol  lamp. 

"  Do  you  suppose,"  she  said,  "  that  we'll 
ever  have  the  slightest  personal  interest  in 
these  Rivett  people  ?  " 

"  Probably  not,"  said  her  sister.  "  What  of 
it  ?  I  wonder  whether  that  colonel  is  likely  to 
figure  as  a  guest." 

Diana  shrugged  again.  "  Figure !  He 
seems  to  be  all  figure.  I  thought  him  rather 
odious." 

"  Did  you  ?  He  seemed  anxious  to  be  agree 
able.  Who  is  he,  cousin  Jim  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know.  .  .  .  Perhaps  I  may  have 
heard  of  him — a  militia  colonel  of  some  kind, 
I  don't  remember.  He's  probably  a  decent 
sort;  I  rather  like  him." 

"  I  wonder/'  said  Diana  reflectively, 
"whether  you  are  anything  of  a  snob?" 

Edgerton  reddened,  then  sat  still  looking  at 
her. 

74 


In  Loco  Parentis 


"  I  was  going  to  resent  that,"  he  said  after 
a  moment,  "  but  I  can't ;  because  what  you 
just  said  set  me  thinking." 

"Are  you  unaccustomed  to  thinking?"  she 
asked  too  innocently;  and  he  reddened 
again. 

"  Stop  tormenting  him,"  said  Silvette,  pour 
ing  herself  more  tea.  "  You're  a  tease,  Di 
ane." 

"  You  both  seem  a  little  in  that  way,"  he 
suggested;  "you  jeer  at  me  and  then  look 
pained,  and  tell  each  other  to  stop." 

"  We're  too  intelligent,"  said  Silvette 
calmly ;  "  that's  the  trouble  with  us ;  and  when, 
by  degrees,  we  add  a  little  more  experience  to 
our  intelligence  we'll  be  either  exceedingly  un 
popular  or — successfully  married." 

"  Why  those  terrible  alternatives  ? "  he 
asked,  laughing. 

"  Because  the  man  who  is  able  to  endure 
us  will  probably  be  worth  the  bother  of  mar 
rying — when  we've  finished  dissecting  him. 
We  don't  know  just  how  to  dissect  men  yet, 
but  we're  rapidly  learning.  It's  only  a  matter 
of  practice  and  experience." 

He  laughed  again,  and  so  did  Silvette, 
but  Diana  scarcely  smiled,  lying  back  in  her 

75 


Japonette 


velvet  armchair  and  watching  Edgerton  and 
her  sister  alternately  with  grave,  incurious 
eyes. 

"  How  old  are  you,  anyway  ?  "  he  said,  look 
ing  straight  at  her. 

"  Twenty-seven,"  she  answered  calmly. 
"  Don't  jump,  please." 

"  What !  "  he  exclaimed  incredulously. 

"  I  look  about  nineteen,  don't  I  ?  " 

"  Certainly  you  do — about  eighteen  !  " 

"  Well,  I  am  twenty-seven ;  Silvette  is 
twenty-five.  Don't  bother  with  compliments.  ' 

"  Good  Lord!     Are  you  the  elder?  " 

"  Tread  lightly  there,"  cautioned  Silvette, 
amused,  "  or  you'll  presently  involve  your 
self  with  two  indignant  spinsters.  You've 
behaved  very  cleverly.  Let  well  enough 
alone." 

"If  you  hadn't  told  me,"  he  began,  aston 
ished,  "  I'd  have  taken  Silvette  for  nineteen 
and  you  for  eighteen.  I — well,  I  simply  can't 
realize  it." 

"How  old  may  you  be,  cousin?"  inquired 
Silvette  with  a  malicious  sweetness  impossible 
to  describe. 

"  I'm  thirty-two,"  he  said. 

"  We  thought  you  less,"  remarked  Diana ; 


In  Loco  Parent  is 


then  she  ventured  to  glance  at  him,  and  the 
enchanting  smile  broke  suddenly  from  her  lips 
and  eyes. 

"  Don't  you  know  we  do  like  you,  cousin 
James,  or  we  wouldn't  torment  you  ?  "  said 
Silvette,  laughing. 

"  A  woman  at  twenty-seven  is  centuries 
older  than  a  man  at  thirty/'  added  Diana, 
"  except,  of  course,  in  some  things.  Theoret 
ically,  Silvie  and  I  are  highly  instructed; 
practically,  the  man  of  thirty  is  more  specific 
ally  intelligent,  which  is  no  compliment  to  the 
man  of  thirty." 

Edgerton,  still  astonished,  sat  back  in  his 
chair,  considering. 

"  Do  you  know,"  he  said,  "  I  never  sus 
pected  I  had  two  such  relatives  in  the  world, 
who  wear  the  appearance  of  debutantes  with 
an  assurance  that  convinces  until  their  wit  and 
wisdom  convict  them.  Where  were  you  edu 
cated,  anyway  ?  " 

"  In  a  southern  boarding  school  and  in  a 
western  university.  After  that,  Silvette 
studied  law  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar.  I 
am  entitled  to  practice  medicine,"  she  added 
demurely.  "  Does  that  scare  you  ?  " 

"  Do  you  think  it  has  spoiled  us  ?  "  asked 
77 


Japonette 


Silvette  so  naively  that  he  made  no  attempt  to 
control  his  laughter. 

"  Why  on  eartH  don't  you  do  those  two 
things?"  he  managed  to  ask  at  last.  "If 
you're  entitled  to  exercise  professions,  why 
don't  you  ?  " 

"  We  only  studied  out  of  curiosity,"  ex 
plained  Diana.  "  We  never  intended  to  follow 
it  up.  Of  course,  we  expected  to  remain  al 
ways  in  pleasant  financial  circumstances." 

"  Anyway,"  added  Silvette,  "  it's  too  late 
now  to  sit  in  an  office  and  wait  for  clients  and 
patients.  Besides,  it's  a  stuffy  life.  We  dance 
better,  and  we  decorate  a  drawing-room  to 
more  advantage  than  an  office  building." 

"  You  have  thoroughly  scared  me,"  he  said, 
looking  at  them  admiringly. 

Diana  glanced  up,  then  flushed. 

"  I  was  afraid  for  a  moment  that  you  meant 
it,"  she  said. 

"  I  do.  What  was  it  you  asked  me  a  few 
moments  ago — whether  or  not  I  was  some 
thing  of  a  snob?  And  I  was  about  to  resent 
it — politely,  of  course — when  it  occurred  to 
me  that  there  was,  after  all,  no  more  finished 
snob  than  the  man  who  is  so  convinced  of  his 
own  position  that  he  can  afford  to  like  every- 

78 


In  Loco  Parentis 


body ;  and  I  told  you  I  liked  that  militia  gen 
tleman.  I  really  didn't;  I  thought  him  the 
limit.  .  .  .  Diana,  you  seem  to  be  a  sort 'of 
truth  compeller." 

"  I'm  a  liar,  occasionally — to  speak  with  ac 
curacy  instead  of  elegance,"  said  Diana 
frankly.  "  I've  managed  to  convey  to  you  an 
idea  that  I  am  indifferent  to  your  joining  the 
firm  of  Tennant  and  Tennant.  As  a  matter 
of  fact,  I'm  flattered  and  happy.  It's  my  con 
science  that  protests." 

-Your— what?" 

"  Conscience.  Never  mind — you  won't  un 
derstand,  and  I  won't  tell  you.  .  .  .  After  all, 
you  are  thirty-two,  even  if  you  happen  to  be 
an  Edgerton." 

"  Are  you  jeering  at  me?  " 

"  No,  I  am  not.  I'm  flattered  because  you 
wear  a  distinguished  name ;  I'm  happy  because 
I'm  entirely  inclined  to  like  you.  In  fact,  I'm 
a  kind  of  a  happy,  little  snob  myself.  There! 
we're  all  tarred  with  the  same  snobbish  brush, 
cousin.  Shall  we  take  off  our  masks  for  a 
while  and  cool  our  faces  ?  " 

She  rose  with  a  gay  little  laugh  and  a  be 
witching  gesture  as  though  sweeping  from  her 
face  an  invisible  vizard. 
79 


Japonette 


"  Behold  me  as  I  am,  cousin !  Just  what 
you  have  already  divined  me,  with  your  eyes 
too  humorous  and  too  wise  for  a  man  of  thirty 
— frivolous,  feminine,  not  insensible  to  flat 
tery,  wise  only  in  theory,  a  novice  in  prac 
tice " 

She  hesitated,  looking  at  him,  the  bright 
color  in  her  cheeks. 

"  What  silenced  and  incensed  me  was  that 
you  divined  it.  I  would  have  liked  to  have 
played  a  part  with  you  vis-a-vis " 

"  You're  playing  it  now,"  observed  Silvette. 
"  Jim  doesn't  know  what  you  are  now ;  even 
I  have  doubts." 

Diana  laughed  deliciously. 

"  Do  I  puzzle  you,  cousin  ?  " 

"  Are  you  trying  to  ?  " 

"  Of  course." 

"  Well,  you've  succeeded.  You're  perfectly 
right,  Silvette;  I  don't  know  anything  about 
her  now.  Are  there  any  more  roles  you  can 
assume,  Japonette?" 

"  Many,  monsieur.  One  of  them  is  Japo 
nette,  if  I  choose." 

"  Play  it,"  he  said,  "  if  you  ever  want  to  tie 
me  to  your  Obi." 

"  You  behave,"  observed  Silvette  tranquilly, 
80 


In  Loco  Parent  is 


"  like    two    rather    ordinary    young    persons 
flirting." 

"  We  are,"  nodded  Diana,  "  but  it  won't 
last,  Silvie.  It's  only  my  kimono  and  his 
thirty-odd  years  and  the  unconventionality 
that  attracts  him."  She  strolled  about  airily 
waving  her  fan.  "  Not  that  I  mind  being 
picked  up " 

"  Di !  You'll  give  him  a  perfectly  horrid 
impression  of  yourself!  " 

"  Why,  he  knows  I  didn't  mind  it.  It's  past 
helping  now." 

"  Hoiv  can  a  man  '  pick  up,'  as  you  so  dis 
gustingly  put  it,  his  own  cousin  ?  " 

"  That  was  a  triumph,  wasn't  it,  Jim  ?  "  she 
asked  innocently.  "  It  remained  for  an  Ed- 
gerton  to  accomplish  the  weird  and  impos 
sible  ;  but  an  Edgerton  can  do  anything  in  New 
York — n'est  ce  pas?  Bien,  sure!  Sure, 
Mike !  " 

"  Diana !  " 

"  Dearest,  I  feel  slangy ;  and  cousin  James 
is  so  thoroughly  a  man  of  the  world  that  he 
doesn't  care.  He  wouldn't  care  what  I  did. 
I  could  perform  a  pas  seul  or  a  flip-flap  or  a 
cart  wheel,  and  he  wouldn't  care.  It's  done  in 
the  best  circles  here,  isn't  it,  cousin  ?  " 
81 


Japonette 


4<  Frequently,"  he  said  gravely,  "  varied  oc 
casionally  by  voloplaning  down  the  ban 
isters." 

She  looked  about  her  wistfully. 

"  There  are  no  banisters  here.  Perhaps 
there  are  at  the  Rivetts'.  Do  you  think  it 
would  entertain  his  guests  ?  You  know  we  are 
employed  for  that  purpose." 

"  You  and  I  ought  to  practice  some  acro 
batic  turns,"  he  suggested.  "  Do  you  think 
you  could  learn  to  throw  a  double  somersault 
standing  on  my  shoulders  ?  " 

"  I  can  try—" 

"  Di !  what  on  earth  are  you  talking  about !  " 
said  Silvette,  turning  from  the  piano  to  en 
counter  their  unrestrained  laughter. 

"  Oh,  dear,"  said  Diana,  "  I  didn't  know  I 
could  ever  be  silly  again.  I  thought  that  los 
ing  all  our  money  a  year  ago  had  frightened 
it  out  of  me ;  but  it's  there,  cousin  Jim — the 
same  frivolity  which  you  instantly  discovered 
in  me,  and  which  the  Rivetts  will  probably 
and  properly  quench.  .  .  .  Silvie,  this  studio 
floor  is  delightfully  waxed.  .  .  .  Cousin,  do 
you  dance  ?  " 

"  Rottenly." 

"  Never  mind.  .  .  .  Silvie,  dear — one  little 


In  Loco  Parentis 


waltz,  please?  Please?  Thank  you.  Pull 
away  that  rug,  cousin.  Are  you  ready  ?  " 

She  laid  her  arm  on  his,  her  hand  in  his ; 
Silvette,  playing,  turned  her  head  to  watch 
them. 

"  He  is  a  rotten  dancer,"  she  said  criti 
cally. 

"  I  can't  help  that,"  said  Diana ;  "  it  was 
the  time  and  the  hour.  I  needed  it!  ...  Jim, 
don't  step  on  my  toe,  please,  and  don't  think 
of  stopping.  You  do  well  enough,  really,  you 
do.  .  .  .  No  man  who  counts  dances  like  a 
Turveydrop.  .  .  .  We  use  dancing  men  for 
dancing  purposes  only.  ...  Of  course  you 
are  flattered;  I  meant  to  flatter  you,  so  you 
wouldn't  be  horrid  enough  to  stop.  .  .  . 
Please  finish  glaring  at  me;  you  are  really 
giving  me  a  great  deal  of  pleasure." 

"  I  begin  to  wonder  whether  I  was  not  cre 
ated  for  that,  Japonette." 

"  To  amuse  me  ?  Unintentionally  ?  per 
haps." 

"  So  that  you  notice  me  at  all,  it  doesn't 
matter,"  he  said  under  his  breath. 

"  Goodness !  what  meekness !  Only  that 
you're  a  typical  man  and  don't  mean  it,  I'd 
hate  you  for  it.  ...  A  meek  man — from  him, 

83 


Japonette 


good  Lord,  deliver  us!-  .  .  .  No,  cousin,  there 
is  that  in  your  eye  which — and  in  your  general 
make-up " 

"What?" 

"  Oh,  I  don't  know — thirty-odd  masculine 
years — very  masculine  ! — or  I'd  not  be  dancing 
with  you,  or  I'd  not  be  in  this  house  at  this 
moment;  or,  rather,  you  wouldn't.  Stop 
mincing  along  in  a  horrid  sort  of  self-satisfied 
prance !  .  .  .  And  don't  hop,  either !  Are 
you  tiring?  " 

"  No,"  he  said  bravely. 

"  I'll  let  you  go  in  a  moment,  before  you 
swoon  and  I  have  to  drag  you  to  a  chair.  .  .  . 
You  dance  well  enough.  I  like  it,  really  .  .  . 
and — thank  you  very  much  indeed !  " 

They  parted,  breathless.  She  stood  a  mo 
ment  waving  her  fan  against  her  bright  cheeks 
and  touching  her  hair  with  deft  fingers.  He 
extracted  a  handkerchief  from  his  sleeve  and 
used  it  frankly. 

"  It's  hot  in  here,"  he  said ;  "  show  me  your 
roof  garden." 

"  Silvette,"  she  called  over  her  shoulder, 
"  will  you  come  up  to  the  roof  ?  " 

Silvette  nodded  and  continued  playing 
an  air  from  "  Armide  " ;  and  they  waited  for 


In  Loco  Parentis 


her  a  moment,  then  went  out  into  the  hallway 
and  up  to  the  roof. 

"  The  garden  of  a  thousand  delights!  "  she 
said  with  a  sweep  of  her  hand  and  a  curtsey. 
"  The  Japanese  fairy,  Japonette,  welcomes  the 
true  prophet  of  her  frivolity." 

He  looked  around  at  the  flowers  in  pots — 
geraniums,  verbenas,  fuchsias,  heliotrope — 
homely,  old-fashioned  blossoms. 

"  I  bought  them  from  a  peddler ;  I  stopped 
his  wagon  in  the  street  and  made  him  carry 
them  up  here.  They  only  cost  two  dollars ; 
and  I  was  economical  at  the  market,"  she  ex 
plained. 

He  glanced  up  at  the  awning  gay  with  yel 
low  and  white  stripes. 

u  Macy's,"  she  admitted  guiltily ;  "  I'll  starve 
you  at  dinner  to-night  to  pay  for  it." 

He  looked  at  her  rather  queerly,  she 
thought. 

"  There  are  things  I'd  starve  for — and 
people." 

"  And  awnings,  cousin?  " 

"  Yours." 

"  That's  very  nice  and  gallant  and  obvious," 
she  said  in  such  a  tormenting  tone  that  he 
broke  out  almost  impatiently : 


Japonette 


"  Japonette,  can't  you  ever  take  me  se 
riously  ?  " 

"  I  hope  not,  cousin." 

For  an  instant  the  smile  remained  stamped 
on  their  lips;  then  the  slight  strain  became 
perceptible,  a  moment  only,  for  she  turned 
lightly  away  and  seated  herself  on  the  edge  of 
a  big  hanging  seat. 

"  More  Macy,"  she  nodded  ruefully.  "We'll 
all  have  to  fast  to-morrow.  .  .  .  You  may  sit 
here,  too,  if  you  wish." 

A  family  of  starlings  were  nesting  in 
the  cornices  of  the  roof  across  the  way, 
and  the  two  young  people  watched  the 
old  birds  for  a  while  flying  to  the  park 
and  returning  'with  food  for  their  invisible 
young. 

"  Horrid,  isn't  it?  "  observed  Diana.  "  But 
that's  the  way  of  things.  No  sooner  are  you 
married  and  happy  than — zip!  the  scene 
changes,  and  you  turn  into  a  wretched  pur 
veyor  of  nourishment  for  the  next  generation. 
Carpe  diem !  " 

"  Cede  Deo !  It's  probably  good  fun,"  com 
mented  Edgerton. 

"  What?    Slaving  for  others  just  when  you 
are  all  ready  for  real  happiness  ?  " 
86 


In  Loco  Parentis 


"  That's  happiness,  or  nobody  would  do  it 
— not  even  those  birds." 

"  It's  instinct !  " 

"  Maybe  with  birds.  Instincts  are  all  right 
for  birds,  but  we  humans  are  usually  arrested 
when  we  follow  our  instincts." 

She  laughed.  "  That  is  true ;  it's  neither 
instinct  nor  happiness  that  makes  us  slaves  to 
babies — it's  duty." 

"If  that  were  all  it  is,"  he  said,  "  the  state 
would  be  nourishing  the  majority  of  infants. 
No ;  it's  probably  fun,  Diana.  That's  the  only 
possible  explanation." 

She  shrugged  her  dainty  shoulders  and 
looked  at  the  westering  sun  above  Staten  Is 
land  ;  and  in  the  gesture  she  seemed,  in  panto 
mime,  to  discard  all  feminine  duties,  cares, 
and  responsibilities  forever.  Then  as  she 
rested  there,  cheek  on  hand,  her  blue  eyes 
grew  vaguer. 

"  I  am  glad  you  came  into  our  lives,"  she 
said ;  "  I  mean  it  this  time." 

"  I  am  glad,  too,"  he  said  seriously. 

"  You  are  now ;  I  can  see  that.  .  .  .  How 
soon  will  you  be  sorry  ?  " 

"Why?"" 

She  turned  toward  him. 

87 


Japonette 


"  How  soon  will  the  novelty  tire  you  ?  " 

"  I  have  not  considered  you  as  a  novelty." 

"  But  I  am ;  I'm  a  mechanical  toy.  My 
paint  soon  comes  off,  cousin." 

"  You're  my  own  kin.  There's  no  novelty, 
as  you  call  it,  in  kinship,  nothing  evanescent." 

She  said :  "  Do  you  really  and  deliberately 
desire  to  stand  by  that  extremely  tenuous  and 
attenuated  tie?  An  attitude  of  that  sort  en 
tails  duties.  You  may  have  much  to  overlook 
in  us — even  much  to  forgive.  Are  you  aware 
of  your  responsibilities?" 

"  I  assumed  them  when  I  asked  to  be  ad 
mitted  to  your  partnership." 

"  Why  did  you  ask  to  join?  " 

"  The  real  reason  ?  " 

She  hesitated,  looking  at  him. 

"  Yes,  the  real  one." 

"  You." 

"  What  exactly  do  you  mean  by  that  an 
swer?" 

"  I  don't  know,  myself,  Japonette,"  he  said 
laughingly ;  "  I've  tried  to  analyze  it,  too.  The 
instinct  of  relationship  may  have  counted." 

"  I  hope  it  did/'  said  she. 

"  I  hope  so.     God  knows,  and  men  are  self 
ish.  .  .  .  And  that  counted,  too." 
88 


In  Loco  Parentis 


"What?" 

"  Selfishness." 

"  I  don't  believe  there  is  very  much  in  you." 

"  That  is  where  your  heart  is  still  a  child's 
heart,  Japonette." 

"  Oh,  I'm  no  altruist,  but  there's  selfishness 
and  selfishness.  .  .  .  What  were  we  talking 
about?  Oh!  why  you  desired  to  join " 

"  No,  we  got  past  that." 

"  Oh,  yes ;  well,  then,  you  say  it  was  be 
cause  of  me.  Why?" 

"  I  told  you  I  didn't  know  exactly  why;  but 
the  root  of  it  all  was  you.  .  .  .  And  when  you 
told  me  about  some  people  who  had  come 
here — that  fellow  who  spoke  about  a  house 
keeper 

"  Jim  Edgerton  !  " 

"  What !  " 

"  I  believe — but  you  can't  be  as  nice  as  that! 
You  simply  can't !  " 

"  Oh,  I'm  not  nice/'  he  protested,  redden 
ing  ;  but  she  interrupted : 

"  You  are!  I  certainly  believe  you  thought 
that  Silvie  and  I  required  somebody  masculine 
in  our  vicinity — to  throw  the  housekeeping 
man  downstairs,  for  example.  Did  you  ?  " 

"  No.     I  only " 

89 


Japonette 


"Did  you?" 

"  Of  course  not." 

"  Do  you  know,"  she  said  seriously,  "  you're 
a  perfect  dear  in  one  way,  and  I  don't  know 
what  you  are  in  others.  Now  be  flattered,  for 
that  makes  you  interesting.  And  you  know 
it's  all  up  with  a  woman  who  finds  a  man  in 
teresting." 

She  was  laughing  at  him  now,  and  he 
scarcely  knew  how  to  take  what  she  said  ex 
cept  to  take  it  with  a  grin. 

"  You're  a  terrible  torment,  Diana,"  he  said. 
"  My  value  in  my  own  estimation,  since  I've 
known  you,  has  fluctuated  between  a  dollar 
and  a  half  and  thirty  cents." 

"  You  said  you  'had  two  dollars !  I  believe 
you're  one  of  these  wealthy  men  who  are  al 
ways  singing  poor !  " 

"  How  many  other  kinds  of  things  do  you 
think  I  am  ?  "  he  asked  resignedly. 

"  I  don't  know.  I  think  I'll  amuse  myself 
by  finding  out." 

u  Meanwhile,"  he  said,  smiling,  "  remember 
I  am  always  what  I  was  when  I  first  set  eyes 
on  you — no ! — the  next  second  after  I  had 
seen  you." 

"  A  lightning  change,  cousin  ?  " 
90 


In  Loco  Parent  is 


"  Like  lightning,  Diana." 

"The  lightning  of  the  gods?" 

"  Diana's  own  shaft.  .  .  .  *  The  sun  shall 
not  smite  thee  by  day,  nor  the  moon  by  night/ 
but  I  stand  betwixt  the  rising  sun  of  Japan 
and — you,  Diana.  Somebody's  shot  me,  that's 
all." 

"  You  are  perfectly  delightful,  but  do  you 
realize  that  I'm  dissecting  you  all  the  while?  " 

"  You  once  said " 

"  Never  mind  that,"  she  interrupted  hastily ; 
and  blushed  until  it  infuriated  her  to  calm 
ness.  And  to  heal  the  sting  with  the  cause 
of  it  she  said : 

"  You're  perfectly  right,  cousin ;  any  man 
who  can  endure  our  scalpel  will  be  worth 
seizing  and  dragging  to  the  parson.  But — 
you  are  perfectly  safe  for  a  while.  It  takes 
a  lifetime  to  properly  dissect  a  man  of  your 
sort.  I'll  be  eighty  before  I  make  up  my  mind 
about  you." 

"  Eighty  years  is  not  beyond  the  statute  of 
limitations." 

"  You'd  marry  me  at  eighty !    Do  you  know 

you're  beginning  to  trouble  me?    I  told  you  I 

was   thoroughly   feminine,  and  susceptible  to 

flattery.     I  am;  it's  too  bad  I'm  so  intelligent 

91 


Japonette 


that  I've  really  got  to  satisfy  that  intelligence 
by  spending  years  and  years  in  dissecting  you.- 
Otherwise,  I'd  run  away  with  you  now." 

"  In  your  Japanese  silks  and  little  straw 
sandals  ?  " 

"  Oh,  yes,  if  you  were  sentimental  enough 
to  insist." 

"  I  would." 

She  shrugged.  "  I  knew  you  were  a  dream 
er — captivated  by  a  vision.  Suppose  you  had 
to  see  me  pinning  on  store  curls  ?  " 

"  I'd  help  pin  'em." 

"  Well,  there  are  plenty  of  other  things  to 
disillusion  you.  I  adore  onions." 

"  So  do  I,"  he  said. 

They  laughed  together. 

She  was  near  enough  for  him  to  be  aware 
of  the  faint  scent  of  her  breath,  or  it  may 
have  been  a  fragrance  from  her  gown  which 
stirred  slightly  in  the  evening  breeze,  or  the 
delicate  fresh  perfume  of  her  hair  and  skin 
— something  indefinable,  some  exquisite  ema 
nation  of  youth  which  had  stolen  subtly  into 
his  senses — something  of  her,  and  as  distinctly 
and  inviolably  hers  as  the  occult  atmosphere 
of  a  virgin  planet. 

"  Cousin,"  she  said,  "  I  thought  we  were  to 
92 


In  Loco  Parent  is 


remove  our  masks  in  the  family  circle.  They 
seem  to  be  on  as  closely  as  ever." 

He  looked  at  her  a  moment. 

"  We  never  will  remove  them,"  he  said. 

"Never?" 

"  Never,  Japonette." 

"Why  not?" 

"  Because,  for  example,  in  my  case  I  want 
you  to  believe  me  everything  I'd  like  to  be. 
I  know  what  I  am.  All  people  knoiv  what 
they  are.  .  .  .  Does  anybody  ever  really  un 
mask?  .  .  .  Could  they  if  they  wished  to? 
There  would  be  only  another  mask  beneath. 
.  .  .  We  can't  ever  get  rid  of  masks.  ...  I 
don't  care  how  hard  we  try,  how  honestly  we 
try,  how  intimate  two  people  become,  how  deep 
ly  they  may  love — there's  always  a  mask,  and 
it  grows  there ;  and  our  own  eyes  are  the  slits. 
Even  a  mother  with  her  first  born  in  her  arms 
looks  down  into  its  eyes  in  vain — those  blue 
and  transparent  veils  of  a  secret  soul  which 
sits  behind  them,  impenetrable,  inviolable." 

After  a  silence  she  said: 

"  Silvette  was  right ;  you  are  a  poet,  Jim. 
.  .  .  How  dusky  it  is  growing  over  the  river. 
Silvette  is  probably  superintending  dinner 
preparations.  Shall  we  go  down  ?  " 

93 

t 


CHAPTER   V 

DE    MOTU    PROPRIO 

HEY  arrived  at  Adriutha  two  days 
later  m  a  roaring  downpour  of  June 
rain.  A  maid  conducted  Silvette  and  Diana 
to  their  rooms,  a  valet  piloted  Edgerton  to 
another  wing  of  the  house  devoted  to  bach 
elors'  quarters  over  the  vast  billiard  room. 

At  the  eastern  end  of  the  house  Silvette 
stood  beside  the  window  while  the  maid  as 
signed  to  them  undressed  her.  Diana,  already 
in  her  pajamas  and  sandals,  lay  flat  on  the 
bed,  one  knee  crossed  over,  swinging  her  slim, 
bare  foot  and  looking  out  at  the  rain. 

It  was  a  wet  outlook  across  the  meadows, 
over  a  low  range  of  rocky  and  wooded  hills, 
behind  which  the  invisible  sun  had  already 
set.  In  the  drenched  foreground,  beyond 
the  meadow's  matted  edge,  the  Deerfield 
River  tossed  and  foamed,  swollen  a  deep 
er  amber  by  the  rain — a  wide,  swift  stream 
94 


De  Motu  Proprio 


set  with  spray-dashed  bowlders,  and  bordered 
alternately  by  ledges  dripping  with  verdure 
and  sandy  stretches  full  of  low  rain-beaten 
willows.  The  world,  through  its  limpid  veil 
of  rain,  looked  like  a  silvery  aquarelle  framed 
by  a  window. 

Tea  was  presently  served.  Silvette  in  her 
silk  lounging  suit  came  over  and  seated  her 
self  on  the  edge  of  the  bed ;  the  maid  finished 
drawing  the  bath,  and  retired  until  again  sum 
moned. 

"  Well,"  sighed  Silvette,  pouring  the  tea, 
"  here  we  are,  Di.  How  do  you  feel  about  it 
now?" 

"  Depressed,"  said  Diana  briefly. 

"  So  do  I,  somehow.  ...  I  wish  we  were 
back  in  -New  York,  with  just  enough  to  live 
on." 

Diana  swung  her  foot  gently,  but  made  no 
reply. 

Presently  she  kicked  off  her  sandal,  lay 
thinking  a  moment,  and  then  sat  up  and  ac 
cepted  the  cup  of  tea  offered  by  her  sister. 
They  sipped  their  tea  in  silence  for  a  while, 
nibbled  toast  and  cakes  until  sufficiently  re 
freshed. 

"  After  all,"  observed  Silvette,  "what  we 
95 


Japonette 


are  doing  for  a  living  is  purely  a  matter  of 
personal  taste.  It  ought  not  to  depress  us." 

"We  should  have  told  him!  That  is  the 
only  thing  that  worries  me,"  remarked  Diana. 
"  Still,  it  is  really  none  of  his  business  what 
we  do  for  a  living." 

"  After  all,"  repeated  Silvette,  "  what  is 
there  to  tell  him?  Keno,  Nevada,  has  nothing 
to  learn  from  New  York  in  frivolity,  I  fancy. 
There  are  several  pretty  women  in  every  set 
who'd  starve  if  they  didn't  play  cards  better 
than  their  neighbors." 

"  I  rather  wish  we'd  told  him  about  our  year 
there ;  yet,  what  is  there  to  tell  ?  Probably  it 
resembled  plenty  of  years  with  which  he  is 
perfectly  familiar." 

"  Do  we  have  to  account  to  Jim  Edgerton 
anyway  ?  "  asked  Silvette  impatiently. 

"  He  wanted  to  come  with  us,"  mused  Di 
ana.  "  When  he  wants  to  go,  he'll  go  fast 
enough,  I  fancy.  It  isn't  what  he  might  think, 
or  his  possible  disapproval,  that  worries  me; 
it's  that  he  ought  to  have  been  told  more  about 
us  in  the  beginning.  .  .  .  But  how  were  we  to 
tell  him?" 

"He  didn't  ask,  did  he?" 

"  No ;  but,  somehow  or  other,  we  ought  to 


De  Motu  Proprio 


have  put  him  au  courant,  and  then  he  could 
have  had  his  choice  about  recognizing  the  re 
lationship  or  ignoring  it.  That's  what  bothers 
me  a  little." 

"  How  could  we  possibly  have  told  him  all 
about  ourselves  the  first  afternoon  we  ever  set 
eyes  on  him  ?  " 

"  There  were  two  other  afternoons ;  one  is 
just  ending.  ...  I  don't  know ;  I  might  easily 
have  created  a  situation  in  which  it  would 
have  seemed  natural  enough  to  mention  our 
programme  to  him." 

"  Why  didn't  you,  Di  ?  " 

"  Cowardice,"  said  the  girl  frankly ;  and  she 
stretched  herself  out  flat  on  the  bed  again. 

"  Do  you  think  as  much  of  Jim  Edgerton's 
opinion  as  that  ?  " 

"  I  seem  to.  ...  I  didn't  want  to  take  the 
risk  of  his  disapproval.  I'm  beginning  to  real 
ize  that  we've  been  dishonest  with  him." 

u  That  is  an  ugly  word,  little  sister." 

"  I  don't  know  any  way  to  soften  it.  A  girl 
is  either  honest  or  the  contrary.  I  was  not 
honest  with  Jim  Edgerton." 

"  He  might  not  disapprove,  after  all.  He 
is  no  provincial." 

"  Yes — and  he  might  disapprove.  Men  of 
97 


Japonette 


his  kind  who  stand  for  almost  anything  in  out 
siders  are  finicky  about  their  own  relatives. 
They  really  don't  care  what  imprudence  other 
people  commit ;  they  may  even  admire  it — 
even  do  it  themselves — but  there's  a  difference 
as  soon  as  it  involves  one  of  the  family.  I've 
an  idea  he  is  like  that." 

"  Isn't  it  stretching  a  thin  tie  of  kinship  too 
far  to  speak  of  Jim  Edgerton  and  ourselves 
in  a  family  sense?  Are  you  and  I  not  rather 
inclined  to  abuse  that  word  cousin,  Diana  ?  " 

"  He  first  used  it  to  us/'  she  said  warmly ; 
"  it  is  his  choice.  He's  a  very  impulsive  and 
generous  boy ;  do  you  know  it  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  do.  ...  Isn't  it  a  thousand 
pities?" 

"  What  about?" 

"  His  losing  everything — being  so  wretch 
edly  poor.  .  .  .  And  our  being  poor,  too." 

"  Yes,"  said  Diana  simply. 

"  And  he'll  never,  never  recoup.  He  is  full 
of  talent,  and  nothing  else.  What  a  pity  !  He 
isn't  the  successful  sort.  It's  a  pity,  isn't  it, 
Di?" 

"  Yes." 

"  Because  he  is  already  quite  mad  about 
you,  Di — he's  a  perfect  boy  about  you.  .  .  . 


De  Motu  Proprio 


How  can  men  of  his  age  retain  their  niceness 
and  charm  and  freshness,  after  what  they  usu 
ally  pass  through.  With  all  his  undesirable 
wisdom  and  his  masculine  worldly  experi 
ences,  he's  practically  as  innocent  as  we  are." 

Diana  suddenly  sat  up  cross-legged  on  the 
bed  and  gathered  her  ankles  in  her  hands. 

"  I  wonder  just  how  innocent  we  really 
are,"  she  said,  "  with  all  those  things  which 
we  have  been  obliged  to  know  about  in  our 
higher  education?  And — speaking  of  educa 
tion — there  was  our  last  year  in  Keno.  That 
year  did  some  curious  things  to  us.  Do  you 
realize  our  development,  our  worldly  evolu 
tion  since  the  beginning  of  last  year — how 
familiar  we  became  with  that  doubtful  worldly 
wisdom  which  is  supposed  to  be  part  of  the 
make-up  of  a  woman  of  the  world?  .  .  .  Do 
you  realize  that  it  was  a  year  of  laissez  faire, 
of  revelation,  of  laxity  and  acquiescence  in 
relaxation,  a  year  of  paradox,  of  ceremony 
sans  fagon,  of  schooling  oneself  to  overlook 
and  accept,  of  an  education  in  morals  and 
their  immoral  variations?  How  aloof  have 
we  kept  ourselves  from  what  we  have  learned 
to  tolerate? — and  how  much  was  due  to  fas 
tidiousness,  how  much  to  expediency,  how 
8  ioi 


Japonette 


much  to  common  sense,  and  how  much  to 
spiritual  conviction  ? " 

"  Does  your  conscience  really  trouble  you  ?  " 
asked  Silvette  anxiously. 

"  No ;  only  in  regard  to  Jim  Edgerton.  I'd 
rather  he  knew  how  we  regard  life  before  he 
reclaims  relationship  in  public;  that's  all." 

Silvette  said  :  "  We  are  merely  wiser ;  merely 
less  provincial  and  more  honest  and  tolerant  of 
a  world  that  isn't  any  too  goody-goody.  We've 
learned  to  distinguish  between  mock  modesty, 
false  shame,  hypocrisy,  and  honest  conviction. 
Take  Keno,  for  instance;  before  we  lived 
there  we  were  inclined  to  look  askance  on 
what  the  world  accepts  with  indifference  and 
perfect  good  nature.  I  mean,  on  the  rather 
lurid  gayeties  of  a  little  world  where  attractive 
divorcees  make  up  the  bulk  of  society — where 
the  eternal  cry  in  the  ballroom  is  '  Change 
partners  !  Ladies  change ! ' — and  where  no 
body  plays  cards  except  for  stakes.  After  all, 
Keno  is  merely  a  section  of  New  York  tem 
porarily  transplanted.  He'd  probably  feel  at 
home  there." 

Diana  turned,  deliberately  rolled  across  the 
bed,  landing  lightly  on  her  feet. 

"  All  .  right,"  she  said ;  "  only,  some  day 
1 02 


DC  Motu  Proprio 


somebody  will  tell  Jim  Edgerton  that  those 
two  cousins  of  his  are  outpacing  propriety. 
We're  just  a  dash  too  pretty,  Silvie,  and  we've 
simply  got  to  be  careful.  There's  one  enemy 
you  and  I  will  always  have  to  reckon  with — 
our  own  sex." 

She  walked  to  the  window,  looked  out,  and 
stood  watching  the  rain,  her  childish  mouth 
troubled.  And,  presently,  speaking  again 
without  turning  around : 

"  Our  programme,  as  we  have  arranged  it, 
was  to  be  a  general  one — to  win  out,  go  in 
for  everything,  play  the  game  as  hard  as  it 
can  be  played,  meet  the  gayer  world  face  to 
face  squarely,  and  take  from  it  honestly  all 
it  has  to  offer." 

"  Except  love." 

"  Except— that." 

"  Love,  per  se,  we  can't  afford,"  said  Sil- 
vette  gayly ;  "  however,  it  may  even  be  in 
cluded.  Who  knows  ?  Material  masculine 
eligibility  need  not  necessarily  exclude  that 
agreeable  passion,  need  it?  Many  a  worthy 
heart  beats  beneath  the  waistcoat  of  the  pluto 
crat." 

"  The    chances    are    against    any    deal    in 
hearts,  as  far  as  we  are  concerned."  . 
103 


Japonette 


"  You're  not  thinking  of  Jim  Edgerton,  are 
you,  Di?" 

Diana  stood,  hands  clasped  behind  her  back, 
staring  at  the  rain.  Suddenly  she  pivoted  on 
her  sandals. 

"  Yes,  I  am  thinking  of  him.  I'm  thinking 
of  him  all  the  time." 

"  That  is  very  unwise,"  said  Silvette  gently. 

"  I  am  thinking  of  him,  but  it's  only  think 
ing.  ...  I  like  him.  I  never  liked  any  man 
better,  or  as  well,  perhaps.  .  .  .  And  I've 
known  him  three  days.  Give  me  a  day  or  two 
grace,  and  I'll  stop  thinking  about  him." 

"  You  were  quite  mad  over  young  Inwood 
in  Keno,"  mused  Silvette. 

"  Yes.  ...  I  realize  that  I  like  men.  I  en 
joy  them;  if  I  had  my  way,  I'd  carry  on  like 
the  deuce  with  every  man  who  took  my  fancy, 
before  I  come  to  the  final  decision  and  spoil 
life  for  myself." 

"  You  carry  on  like  the  deuce  now,  sister," 
said  Silvette,  laughing. 

"  I  don't  do  it  enough,"  retorted  Diana 
fiercely ;  "  what  have  I  got  to  look  forward  to, 
after  all? — a  homeless  life  of  social  employ 
ment,  an  old  age  of  gossip  and  cards ! — or,  if 
I  win  out,  a  loveless  middle  age  wearing  some 
104 


De  Motu  Proprio 


wealthy  man's  name  and  pearls,  and  all  the 
rest  dashed  out — the  brightness,  the  youth  of 
things,  the  hope  of  things,  children " 

"  You  don't  want  children !  "  exclaimed  Sil- 
vette,  horrified;  "grubby  little  things!  I 
thought  you  hated  them !  " 

"  Grubby  little  things/'  repeated  the  girl 
slowly ;  "  so  I  do,  in  theory." 

"  You  don't  know  anything  about  them 
practically." 

"  Except  at  the  Maternity  Hospital.  .  .  . 
Oh,  Silvje,  it  is  ghastly.  .  .  .  It's  horrid !  hor 
rid ! — it's  devilishly  unfair!  .  .  .  Young  girls 
in  the  springtide  of  youth  crept  in  and  out  of 
that  dreadful  place  like  the  white  ghosts  of 
murdered  souls!  If  maternity  didn't  slay 
them,  it  killed  the  better  part  of  them.  Then 
the  world  ended  for  them — youth,  hope,  free 
dom  ended  with  the  first  thin  cry  of  the  tyrant 
that  dooms  all  women.  .  .  .  Yes,  I — hate  chil 
dren  !  "  She  stood  a  moment,  slim  hands  on 
her  hips,  head  lowered  with  the  brown  locks 
clustering  against  her  cheeks;  then,  looking 
up: 

"  But  I  mean  to  have  one  of  my  own  some 
time.  Life  to  the  full,  dregs  and  all,  before 
I  die.  That  is  my  programme." 


Japonette 


Silvette  laughed.  "  This  is  a  new  and  re 
cent  development,  isn't  it?" 

"  I'm  developing  like  lightning." 

"  Lightning  develops  quickly,  but  it  doesn't 
last,  dear." 

Diana,  lost  in  retrospection  again,  smiled 
vaguely.  Then,  lifting  her  pretty  eyes: 

"  Did  you  ever  see  starlings  feeding  their 
young?  A  pair  nested  opposite  the  studio.  I 
found  their  evolutions  rather  interesting." 

"  No    doubt/'    said    her    sister.     "  Is    that 

what    has    aroused    the    maternal     instinct? 

« 

Come,  who  is  to  bathe  first.  Pull  down  the 
shade  and  turn  on  the  electricity,  and  ring 
for  the  maid,  dear.  She  ought  to  lay  out  our 
gowns  at  once." 

Diana  did  as  she  was  bidden ;  then,  on  im 
pulse,  sat  down  at  the  little  fly-away  desk  and 
scribbled  a  note : 

"  Take  it  to  Mr.  Edgerton,"  she  said  to  the 
maid. 

Edgerton,  dressing  leisurely,  read  the  note 
where  he  stood  under  the  electric  cluster: 

"  DEAR  JIM  :  The  rain,  the  world,  and  things 
oppress     me.     So     do    you     sometimes.  .  .  . 
1 06 


De  Motu  Proprio 


There's  a  long  future  ahead  of  me.  I  dread 
it — who  was  eager  for  the  plunge  a  few  days 
since.  I  seem  to  be  standing  on  the  threshold 
of  things  in  general,  waiting  for  my  cue  to 
enter,  but  with  little  heart  for  the  stage  now. 
Alas,  I  am  already  tired  before  the  overture 
has  ended. 

"  If  we  dance  to-night,  ask  me.  Probably 
I'm  the  only  girl  in  the  house  who  could  stand 
a  dance  with  you — and  I'm  not  so  certain 
about  myself.  .  .  .  But  if  we  play  Bridge, 
continue  not  to  sit  at  our  table.  I  ask  it  of 
you  for  reasons  which  are  none  of  your' busi 
ness.  Indulge  my  whim,  please. 

"  JAPONETTE." 

He  finished  dressing,  then  scribbled  a  note 
to  her,  and  sent  it  by  the  valet : 

"  Japonette,  dear,  I'm  as  rotten  at  cards 
as  I  am  dancing.  I  won't  permit  indiscreet 
infatuation  to  interfere  with  your  Bridge.  .  .  . 
And,  by  the  way,  in  this  sort  of  a  house  the 
chances  are  they'll  play  for  stakes — probably 
high  stakes.  My  limit  is  a  cent  a  point — or 
was  in  days  of  affluence — but  our  host  will 
scarcely  expect  us  to  risk  our  salaries,  I  fancy. 
So  even  if  you  have  no  objection  to  playing 
107 


Japonette 


for  stakes — which  probably,  however,  you 
have — you  need  not  feel  obliged  to.  Our 
duties  here  do  not  include  losing  money  to 
Mr.  Rivett's  assorted  guests,  you  know.  Feel 
perfectly  at  liberty  to  let  the  table  carry  you 
and  Silvette. 

"  Shall  I  wait  and  go  down  with  you  both? 

"J.  E." 

She  read  the  note;  then  handed  it  silently 
to  Silvette,  who  read  it  also  in  silence. 

"  You  see,"  said  Diana,  "  it's  exactly  what 
I  told  you.  He  doesn't  wish  us  to  play  for 
stakes." 

"  He  says  nothing  here  about  his  wishes. 
.  .  .  Besides,  it  would  be  an  impertinence  for 
him  to  make  any  such  suggestion  to  either  you 
or  me." 

"  His  attitude  is  plain  enough — if  you  think 
it  impertinent." 

"  I  don't  think  it  is.  He  indicates  that  he 
supposes  we  do  not  play  for  stakes,  and  adds 
that,  anyway,  we  need  not  if  we  don't  wish 
to.  That  is  all  the  note  expresses.  Anyway, 
it  doesn't  matter,  does  it?" 

Diana  shook  her  disheveled  head,  seated 
herself  and  wrote  a  hasty  answer,  sending  it 
1 08 


De  Motu  Proprio 


away  by  the  valet,  who  was  waiting  outside 
the  door. 

"  Don't  wait  for  us ;  we're  not  hooked  up 
yet.  We're  quite  accustomed  to  play  for 
stakes,  you  funny  boy,  so  that  need  cause  you 
no  uneasiness.  .  .  .  And  please  don't  forget 
to  ask  me,  if  they  dance." 

Edgerton  stood  thinking  for  a  moment  be 
fore  his  fireplace  after  reading  the  missive; 
then  struck  a  match  and  lit  the  two  notes, 
holding  them  together  until  almost  consumed, 
and  lingered  still  to  watch  the  edge  of  yellow 
flame  on  the  hearth  licking  up  the  remaining 
margins  of  the  paper. 

Then  he  went  downstairs  and  into  a  green 
and  gold  drawing-room,  where  his  hostess  re 
ceived  him  shyly,  almost  timidly — a  small 
gray-haired  woman  all  over  jewels  whose 
thin  little  hand  trembled  slightly  in  his. 

It  was  a  frail  hand,  fragile  of  bone,  yet 
never  the  hand  of  generations  of  leisure,  for 
the  joints  were  hard  and  accented,  and  the 
fingers  rather  worn  than  thin — as  though 
once  not  unaccustomed  to  household  labor; 
and,  without  knowing  just  why,  he  re 
tained  the  diamond-laden  hand  in  his  firm, 
109 


Japonette 


warm  clasp  for  a  moment  as  though  to  reas 
sure  her. 

"  It  is  nice  of  you  to  ask  us,"  he  said  gently. 
"  You  have  made  everything  very  easy  and 
comfortable  for  us.  My  cousins  will  be  down 
in  a  few  moments;  they  asked  me  to  come 
first." 

The  little  gray  woman  looked  up  into  his 
pleasant,  well-cut  face  as  though  confused; 
he  smiled  down  at  her,  still  retaining  her  hand. 

"  My  husband  has  told  me  who  you  are," 
she  said.  "  I  didn't  expect  you  to  be  just  like 
this.  .  .  .  You  and  your  cousins  are  our 
very  welcome  and  honored  guests.  .  .  .  Our 
guests,"  she  repeated  almost  tremulously, 
"  and  none  more  welcome  under  our  roof." 

"  It  is  gracious  and  kind  of  you  to  say  so," 
he  said,  touched  by  the  simplicity  and  the  mild, 
faded  face  upturned. 

Then  Mr.  Rivett  came  forward,  cautiously 
treading  the  velvet,  his  two  burned-brown 
eyes  fixed  behind  the  big  concave  eyeglasses. 

"  It's  wet  weather,"  he  said,  shaking  hands. 
"  I  hope  your  quarters  are  comfortable." 

"  Most  luxurious,  thank  you — with  a 
beautiful  outlook." 

Mrs.  Rivett's  gentle  voice  sounded  at  his 
no 


De  Motu  Proprio 


elbow  presenting  him  to  her  daughter  and 
son,  and  after  that  to  several  others  who,  for 
the  moment,  he  made  no  effort  to  distinguish 
one  from  another  except  that  he  recog 
nized  Colonel  Curmew  in  superb  form  and 
obtrusive  pearl  studs  decorating  a  fluted  shirt 
front. 

A  moment  later  Silvette  and  Diana  entered, 
slender  and  youthful,  with  all  the  softly 
flushed  charm  of  eighteen  and  the  winning 
composure  of  a  wider  experience  than  eighteen 
years  can  ever  lend. 

Colonel  Curmew  presently  outflanked  Sil 
vette,  forcing  her  skillfully  into  a  momentary 
retreat  toward  the  recess  of  a  window,  where 
he  blockaded  her  and  curled  his  mustache  with 
satisfaction  and  shot  his  cuffs,  and  prepared 
to  drive  in  her  outer  pickets. 

Diana  remained  in  quiet  conversation  with 
Mrs.  Rivett,  the  latter  shy,  wistful,  and  ill  at 
ease  by  turns ;  the  former  sweet  and  deferen 
tial,  yet  all  the  while  composedly  taking  the 
measure  of  the  others  in  the  room,  and  of  the 
room  itself,  vaguely  aware  in  her  apparently 
smiling  preoccupation  that  she  was  winning  a 
perplexed  and  timid  heart. 

Cocktails  were  served — unusual  ones  that 
in 


Japonette 


had  a  scent  like  the  original  Ricky,  that  is, 
the  aromatic  odor  of  wild  blossoms. 

The  little  gray  woman  barely  tasted  hers, 
with  that  same  inborn  instinct,  perhaps,  that 
impelled  those  old-time  hostesses  in  the  days 
when  viands  and  wines  sometimes  proved 
fatal. 

Then  Edgerton  relieved  her  of  her  scarcely 
touched  glass;  took  Diana's,  too,  which  was 
still  half  full.  Mrs.  Rivett  rose  and  gave  him 
her  arm,  to  his  surprise;  Mr.  Rivett  took  in 
Diana,  his  son  Silvette.  The  name  of  Edger 
ton  had  counted  heavily. 

In  the  dining  room  everything  was  grossly 
overdone  except  the  cookery — the  sort  of 
thing  most  calculated  to  annoy  and  bore  the 
very  man  most  accustomed  to  it  in  town ;  pro 
fusion  akin  to  the  plethora  which  offends ; 
effort  impossible  to  disguise  which  stirs  even 
in  the  most  good-natured  and  generous  an  un 
willing  contempt. 

Edgerton  let  his  eyes  rest  for  a  moment, 
outside  the  silver  and  crystal-set  circle  of 
light,  on  gold,  heavy  carving,  gilded  tapestry 
and  picture,  and  withdrew  his  gaze  gravely. 
Men  servants  swarmed,  bothering  him ;  the 
scent  of  greenhouse  blossoms,  forced  before 
112 


De  Motn  Proprio 


their  time;  the  heavy  magnificence  out  of 
place — all  slightly  disgusted  him,  though  much 
of  it  was  about  what  he  had  expected  of  such 
people. 

Little  Miss  Rivett,  on  his  left,  dissected  her 
terrapin  with  the  healthy  attention  of  youth 
and  hunger;  and  presently  he  turned  to  look 
at  her  with  amused  but  wholly  amiable  curi 
osity. 

He  saw  a  small,  plump,  dainty  maid,  with 
exceedingly  clear  and  bright  brown  eyes,  and 
a  softly  brilliant  complexion,  looking  back  at 
him  with  unconcealed  interest. 

There  was  a  moment's  silence,  then  they 
both  smiled. 

"  Do  you  think  you'll  like  us  ?  "  she  asked 
saucily;  "  or  do  you  hate  us  already?" 

"  Not  the  slightest  doubt  of  my  liking 
you,  Miss  Rivett;  but  how  about  your  lik 
ing  us?  " 

"  Your  cousins  are  most  bewitching  and  be 
wildering.  .  .  .  You  seem  to  be  nice — are 
you?" 

"  Very,"  he  said,  laughing.  "  I'm  glad  you 
gave  me  an  opportunity  of  saying  so,  because 
otherwise  it  might  not  have  been  perfectly 
clear  to  you." 


Japonctte 


"  I  am  rather  fastidious,"  she  said.  "  How 
well  do  you  dance  ?  " 

"  My  grace  in  that  praiseworthy  pastime  is 
ursine." 

"  Really?" 

"  Unbearably." 

"  You  are  very  British,  aren't  you  ?  " 

"  Do  you  refer  to  my  little  play  upon 
words  ?  " 

"  No,  generally ;  that  was  merely  a  touch 
of  local  color.  Naturally,  also,  you  fishshoot- 
ridetohoundsandplaypolo ;  do  you  ?  " 

"  Also  gawf ,  dear  lady." 

"  Perfectly  symmetrical  and  indistinguish 
able  from  others  of  your  kind.  I  thought  so. 
Crocky,  too  ? " 

"  Certainly,  crocky,"  he  admitted ;  "  also  no 
bank  account.  You  may  call  me  m'lud  with 
impunity." 

"  Perhaps  you're  not  entirely  qualified. 
How  do  you  stand  on  the  heiress  question, 
Mr.  Edgerton?" 

"  I  can't  qualify  there." 

"  Then  you're  a  sham.  Besides,  you're  nei 
ther  clever  nor  gallant.  /  am  an  heir 
ess." 

"  Then  I  qualify  at  once  as  a  fortune 
116 


De  Moiu  Proprio 


hunter,"  he  said,  laughing,  "  and  I'll  cable  for 
my  solicitors." 

"What  are  you  saying?"  asked  Mrs.  Riv- 
ett  in  her  gentle,  uncertain  voice. 

"  Mother,  Mr.  Edgerton  and  I  are  going  to 
be  friends.  Perhaps  he  isn't  sure  of  it,  but  I 
am.  Tell  him  what  happens  when  I  am  sure 
of  anything." 

"  Dear,  perhaps  Mr.  Edgerton  doesn't  quite 
understand  your  manner  of  saying  things." 

"That's  just  it;  he  does  understand!  He 
is  going  to  turn  out  exceedingly  nice,  mother  ; 
watch  him ! " 

"  Christine !  Please  be  a  little  less  personal 
and  abrupt." 

They  turned,  smiling,  toward  the  other  end 
of  the  table  where  much  laughter  sounded. 
Evidently  Diana  and  Silvette  were  becoming 
very  popular,  and,  somehow,  it  occurred  to 
Edgerton  that  perhaps  this  great  room  had 
not  often  resounded  with  mirth. 

But  the  chatter  and  laughter  were  incessant 
now;  so  were  the  servants'  ministrations,  and 
Edgerton  was  glad  enough  to  give  his  arm  to 
the  faded  little  woman  beside  him  and  take 
her  to  her  great,  gilded  chair  in  the  drawing- 
room,  and  follow  the  men  to  another  room, 


Japonette 


where  blue  smoke  from  cigars  presently  floated 
to  the  ceiling. 

Jack  Rivett,  rather  too  plump  and  smooth, 
moved  into  a  chair  beside  Edgerton;  and  the 
latter,  who  had  prejudged  him  from  his  ap 
pearance,  was  slightly  surprised  to  find  the 
youth  widely  read,  widely  traveled,  with  a 
mind  and  even  a  wit  entirely  his  own,  and 
an  original  but  sometimes  callow  comment  for 
any  subject  brought  up. 

In  a  desultory  conversation  it  presently 
transpired  that  young  Rivett  was  a  candidate 
for  the  Patroon's  Club. 

"  You're  a  member,  I  believe ;  are  you  not  ?  " 
he  asked  Edgerton. 

"  I  have  resigned." 

"Oh!  I  thought  that  was  the  one  club 
from  which  nobody  ever  resigned.  I  beg  your 
pardon,  Edgerton !  "  he  added,  turning  red ; 
"  don't  think  me  a  cad." 

"  No  offense/'  smiled  Edgerton ;  "  I  re 
signed  because  I  couldn't  afford  it.  It's  a  good 
club ;  hope  you  make  it  soon." 

"  I  hope  I  do.  .  .  .  But  we're  rather  recent 
additions — if  we  are  additions — to  New  York. 
You  never  can  tell  what  New  Yorkers  will 
do  to  people  like  us,"  he  added  laughingly. 
118 


De  Motit  Proprio 


"  New  York  is  practically  composed  of  re 
cent  residents,"  said  Edgerton,  smiling. 

"  They're  the  most  pitiless  to  newcomers. 
I  wouldn't  be  very  much  afraid  if  we  had  only 
your  sort  to  encounter.  If  you  old  residents 
like  a  man,  he  gets  his  hat  check  ultimately, 
and  passes  in ;  but  it  lies  with  the  sidewalk 
speculators  now.  The  seats  of  the  mighty 
are  in  their  hands." 

Edgerton  was  much  amused. 

"  Not  entirely,"  he  said ;  "  even  we  older 
residents  are  asked  about  now  and  then." 

"  Into  which  of  the  three  circles — Smart, 
Knickerbocker,  or  Old  Testament  ?  " 

Edgerton  was  laughing  so  frankly  that  Riv- 
ett  senior  turned  his  convex  glasses  on  him ; 
and,  deciding  that  the  laughter  was  genuine 
and  not  included  in  services,  went  on  with 
his  business  conversation  with  a  Mr.  Snaith 
— a  large,  soft-skinned  gentleman  deeply  im 
mersed  in  oil  and  cotton. 

Colonel  Curmew  came  over  briskly,  expell 
ing  smoke. 

"  What  are  you  youngsters  playing  this 
evening?  Auction  or  Chinese  Kahn?" 

"  However,  they  choose  to  make  up  the 
tables,"  said  Jack  Rivett  lazily.  Then,  as 
119 


Japonette 


though  on  an  after  thought :  "  I  doubt  whether 
Mr.  Edgerton  bothers  with  cards ;  do  you  ?  " 

"  I  don't  mind,  except  that  I've  cut  out 
playing  for  stakes,"  replied  Edgerton,  per 
fectly  aware  of  Jack  Rivett's  kindly  consid 
eration  in  giving  him  a  chance  to  escape  grace 
fully,  and  a  trifle  amused,  too,  that  the  young 
man  should  suppose  he  cared  what  anybody 
in  the  place  might  think  of  him. 

Servants  were  now  arranging  the  old-fash 
ioned  colonial  card  tables  in  the  noticeably 
old-fashioned  colonial  card  room.  A  young 
girl  or  two  appeared  at  the  arched  doorway, 
lingering  on  the  threshold  as  several  of  the 
men  came  out  to  gossip. 

Then  the  hostess  appeared  with  the  others ; 
groups  formed,  shifted,  and  gradually  sub 
sided  into  seats;  seals  of  fresh  packs  were 
broken,  scores  penciled,  the  first  hands  dealt 
at  auction. 

Diana,  Colonel  Curmew,  a  very  pretty  Mrs. 
Wemyss,  and  Mr.  Rivett  sat  together;  at  an 
other  table  Silvette,  Mr.  Snaith,  Christine 
Rivett,  and  a  Mr.  Dineen — a  gentleman  weigh 
ing  some  two  hundred  pounds  and  wearing  an 
attractive  snub  nose  and  a  pair  of  merry  gray- 
blue  eyes. 

120 


De  Motu  Proprio 


And  the  awful  hush  of  auction  descended 
without  a  sound. 

Edgerton  and  his  hostess  and  a  Judge  Wick- 
low  and  a  Mrs.  Lorrimore — a  fair,  fat,  blue- 
eyed  thing  with  a  cupid-bow  mouth  as  sweet 
as  the  smile  that  abode  there — settled  them 
selves  to  Chinese  Kahn,  a  game  spelled  in 
various  ways  and  played  in  several  more. 

"  Stakes  ?  "  inquired  Mrs.  Lorrimore  with 
businesslike  directness. 

"  Your  pleasure,"  replied  Judge  Wicklow 
in  the  deep,  thick  voice  celebrated  and  feared 
where  judicial  procedures  are  thickest  and 
most  unimportant. 

"  Neither  Mr.  Edgerton  nor  I  care  to  gam 
ble — I  think/'  said  Mrs.  Rivett  timidly. 

The  judge  turned  his  bovine  countenance 
on  Edgerton.  The  only  anomaly  in  it  seemed 
to  be  his  eyebrows.  Cows  have  no  eyebrows. 

"  I'm  sorry,"  said  Edgerton. 

The  judge  seemed  sorry,  too,  but  he  shuffled 
the  two  packs  in  his  enormous  and  hairy 
hands,  dealt,  and  deposited  the  surplus  in  a 
pile  with  a  single  card  separate  and  face  up 
ward — the  ace  of  hearts. 

Mrs.  Lorrimore  promptly  picked  it  up,  laid 
down  three  aces,  four  fours,  a  small  sequence 
121 


Japonette 


interiorly  made  possible  by  a  joker,  and  sat 
back  triumphantly  with  her  depleted  suit  in 
her  gemmed  fingers,  which  were  pressed  com 
fortably  to  an  ample  bosom. 

"  Discard,"  rumbled  the  judge. 

"  Oh,  I  beg  pardon !  "  She  laughed,  and 
laid  down  a  nine. 

Nobody  ever  wants  a  nine,  somehow.  The 
judge  snorted,  helped  himself,  discarded,  and 
turned  his  heavy  countenance  on  his  hostess. 

"  Dear  me,"  she  said  in  her  humble  little 
voice,  "  I — I'm  afraid — afraid  I'm  going 
out !  " 

"  What !  "  thundered  his  honor.  "  Nobody 
ever  goes  out  first  hand,  madam ! " 

But  she  timidly  did  that  very  thing  to  the 
suppressed  fury  of  his  honor,  who  had  cher 
ished  a  long  sequence,  according  to  rule,  and 
was  further  nursing  the  other  joker  and  three 
kings. 

"  It's  too  bad,"  she  ventured,  looking  around 
at  Edgerton,  whose  entire  hand  was  being 
minutely  counted  by  Mrs.  Lorrimore. 

"  I  don't  mind !  "  said  the  young  fellow, 
laughing;  and  he  leaned  a  trifle  nearer  and 
added  under  his  breath :  "  But  suppose  I  had 
played  for  stakes  !  " 

122 


De  Motu  Proprio 


Into  her  timid  and  faded  eyes  came  the 
ghost  of  a  glimmer — the  momentary  sparkle 
of  fun,  and  went  out  very  quickly. 

But  it  had  been  there  for  a  second;  and 
thereafter  Edgerton  found  a  curious  pleasure 
in  making  it  come  back  at  intervals.  She  even 
laughed — even  ventured  to  provoke  his  laugh 
ter — rather  scared  at  trying  until  his  quick 
mirth  set  her  at  momentary  ease  again. 

Luck  bedeviled  his  honor;  the  fair  Mrs. 
Lorrimore  won  steadily  without  the  least  re 
spect  for  the  law  and  no  consideration  at 
all  for  the  sanctity  of  the  bench;,  and  the 
judge  became  peevish.  He  was  a  very  rich 
man. 

Presently  he  had  enough  of  it — letters  to 
write  for  the  morning  mail — and  got  himself 
out  and  upstairs  with  the  dignity  of  a  fly- 
pestered  ox. 

"  Horrid  old  screw,"  observed  Mrs.  Lorri 
more  in  Edgerton's  ear,  and  laughed  her  pecu 
liarly  sweet  and  captivating  laugh  as  a  servant 
returned  with  his  honor's  check  in  an  angrily 
scrawled  envelope. 

Mrs.  Rivett  had  passed  into  a  farther  room, 
where  the  high  gilded  pipes  of  an  organ  glim 
mered  in  the  subdued  light.  Edgerton  saw 
123 


Japonette 


her  seated  there — a  thin,  bejeweled  little 
figure  beneath  the  tall  gothic  majesty  of  the 
pipes. 

After  a  while  the  low  harmony  of  an  old- 
time  hymn  stole  into  the  card  room. 

Those  at  the  bridge  tables  remained  silent 
and  absorbed,  except  Mr.  Rivett,  who  cau 
tiously  turned  his  sphinxlike  countenance 
toward  the  farther  dusk  where  his  wife  was 
seated. 

Edgerton  stood  behind  Diana's  chair, 
watching.  Presently  he  went  over  to  Silvette, 
lingered  for  a  while,  then  came  back  to  Diana 
again. 

An  hour  later  Mr.  Rivett  said  abruptly: 
'•'  Does  anybody  care  to  dance  ?  " 

The  effect  was  like  a  pistol  shot  on  lotus 
eaters.  Slowly  the  players  came  out  of  their 
absorption;  color  returned  faintly  to  white, 
tense  faces. 

"  I  suppose  I  may  ask  it?  "  added  Mr.  Riv 
ett  dryly.  "  I'm  a  heavy  loser." 

"  Sure  thing,  dad,"  said  Jack  with  a  laugh. 
"  I'm  about  even,  and  I  venture  to  ask  it,  too. 
Does  anybody  here  want  to  dance?  You 
surely  won't  object,"  he  added  mischievously 
to  Silvette. 

124 


De  Motu  Proprio 


"  I  have  no  right  to  say  anything  at  all," 
she  laughed. 

"  Every  right — the  right  of  the  conqueror! 
Accept  my  bow  and  spear — and  speak !  .  .  . 
How  is  it  with  your  sister?  " 

"  I'm  afraid  I  haven't  any  voice  in  the  mat 
ter,  either,"  said  Diana  serenely.  "  It  is  for 
the  losers  to  decide." 

They  decided  to  dance.  Mrs.  Rivett  came 
from  the  dim  music  room  and  stood  watching 
them  with  her  little  worn  hands  folded,  while 
servants  lighted  and  cleared  the  larger  drawing- 
room,  designed  for  a  ballroom,  with  its  little 
gilded  balcony  aloft  and  the  great  concert 
grand  in  its  carved  and  gilded  foliations  sprawl 
ing  like  a  bedizened  elephant  in  the  corner. 

A  servant  was  sent  for  "  mademoiselle  " — 
evidently  somebody  who  lived  somewhere  in 
the  house  whose  duties  included  dance  music. 
Meanwhile  Edgerton  sat  down  at  the  piano, 
and  began  a  fascinating  Spanish  waltz. 

"  Traitor,"  whispered  a  fresh,  young  voice 
at  his  elbow,  and  he  looked  up  into  the  win 
ning  eyes  of  Diana. 

"Hello,"  he  said;  "how  went  the  battle?" 

"The  cards?" 

"  Yes." 

125 


Japonette 


"  As  usual,  thank  you." 

"  Oh !  And  how  do  they  usually  go  with 
you,  fair  cousin  ?  " 

"  Well  enough,"  she  said  briefly. 

She  stood  leaning  on  the  piano. 

"  You  play  cleverly,"  she  observed. 

"  Oh,  yes — cleverly.  There's  nothing  else 
to  anything  I  do." 

"Isn't  that  enough?" 

"7^it,  Diana?" 

"  Enough  as  far  as  music  is  concerned,"  she 
5aid  impatiently.  "  Did  you  ever  see  a  musical 
virtuoso  whom  a  real  man  didn't  want  to 
kick  ?  And  as  for  you,"  she  added,  "  you  are 
a  traitor.  You  said  you  would  ask  me  to 
dance.  Now,  if  you  ask  me,  I  wont!" 

Still  playing,  he  continued  to  look  up  at  her 
smilingly. 

"  What  do  you  really  care  about  me  any 
way  ?  "  he  said.     "  I  wish  you'd  tell  me,  Di 
ana." 
,.    "Honestly,  or  flippantly?" 

"Honestly." 

"  Masks  off,  you  mean?  " 

"  Yes — as  far  off  as  they'll  come." 

"  I  care  a  lot  about  you." 

"  You  say  it  too  frankly,"  he  laughed. 
126 


De  Motu  Proprio 


"  What  I  say,  I  say.  .  .  .  Did  you  find 
Christine  Rivett  agreeable  at  dinner  ?  " 

"  She's  interesting." 

"  Is  that  all !  "  evidently  disappointed. 

"  Well,  she's  very  fetching." 

"  That  is  far  more  serious." 

"  Indeed,  it  is.  I've  qualified  as  an  aspirant 
for  her  hand  and  fortune  already." 

"  I  don't  doubt  it,"  she  returned  calmly. 
"  That's  one  reason  her  father  decided  to  em 
ploy  us." 

She  said  it  unsmiling,  and  after  he  had 
looked  up  at  her  once  or  twice  he  said :  "Of 
course  you  are  joking." 

"  Oh,  yes ;  it's  one  kind  of  a  jest.  Mean 
while  here  comes  a  young  person  in  black — 
doubtless  mademoiselle.  .  .  .  I'm  not  going 
to  dance  with  you;  don't  compose  your  fea 
tures  in  that  smug  fashion.  You're  a  traitor, 
and  I  won't." 

She  turned  on  her  heel  and  advanced 
leisurely  toward  Colonel  Curmew,  who  im 
mediately  began  to  twirl  his  mustache  and 
shoot  his  cuffs,  when,  without  warning,  she 
sheered  off  into  the  receptive  arms  of  Jack 
Rivett,  and  was  presently  drifting  across  the 
room  in  a  Viennese  waltz. 
127 


Japonettc 


Others  were  dancing  now;  Edgerton  went 
over  and  asked  his  hostess — an  old  New  York 
custom  now  obsolete — who  colored  and  smiled 
at  him,  explaining  that  she  had  renounced  that 
art  with  the  advent  of  rheumatism.  So,  after 
a  while,  he  took  out  her  daughter  Christine 
— also  an  obsolete  custom— rwho  soon,  how 
ever,  had  enough  of  him  as  a  dancer,  and  took 
him  into  the  conservatory. 

The  others  danced  until  supper  time;  mid 
night  found  them  separating  on  the  stairs. 
Edgerton  and  Christine  Rivett  had  rather  a 
prolonged  leave-taking,  then  shook  hands  cor 
dially  in  plain  view  of  everybody. 

Diana,  passing  with  Silvette,  said  a  careless 
good  night  to  him.  Silvette,  retaining  her  sis 
ter's  arm,  detained  him  for  a  moment  in  con 
versation;  then  they  went  away  together,  Di 
ana  dismissing  him  with  an  inattentive  nod. 

But,  as  he  was  prepared  for  his  pillow,  a 
servant  brought  an  envelope  to  his  door  and 
tucked  it  under  the  sill. 

Inside  was  a  single  line : 

"  Good  night,  Jim." 

The  handwriting  was  now  familiar  to  him. 


CHAPTER    VI 

PACTA    CONVENTA 

UESTS  arrived  and  guests  departed 
from  Adriutha,  but  the  original  gather 
ing  remained. 

The  people  who  came  and  went  were  about 
the  kind  that  Edgerton  had  expected  to  en 
counter — people  identified  with  nothing  in 
particular  except  money,  and  not  always 
with  that. 

For,  into  the  social  mess  at  Adriutha  an 
author  or  two  was  occasionally  stirred  as  sea 
soning;  sometimes  an  artist  became  tempo 
rarily  englutenized  over  a  week-end,  emerging 
on  Monday  well  fed  and  satiated  with  hope 
of  material  results  from  cohabitation  with 
wealth — which  never  materialized. 

Edgerton  was  inclined  to  take  them  all  as 
cheerfully  as  he  found  them — at  their  face 
value;  and  they  were  not  always  pretty. 

Loyalty  to  obligation  was  inherent  in  his 
129 


Japonette 


race,  perhaps  the  strongest  trait  in  him ;  and 
all  his  inclinations  toward  what  was  easiest, 
his  content  with  the  superficial,  his  tendency 
to  drift,  had  not  yet  radically  altered  this 
trait,  nor  perhaps  other  qualities  latent  under 
the -froth. 

For  a  few  days  in  the  beginning,  humor 
ous  curiosity,  the  novelty  of  his  anomalous 
position,  the  very  rawness  of  the  experience, 
amused  him;  but  the  veneer  of  everything 
soon  wore  thin,  revealing  the  duller  surface 
underneath.  Then  came  uneasiness  and  im 
patience  ;  but  loyalty  to  his  bargain  and  to  his 
kindred  were  matters  of  course,  and  he  de 
termined  to  find  in  these  people  something  to 
interest  him  and  render  his  sojourn  among 
them  at  least  endurable. 

After  that  first  stormy  night  in  June,  the 
splendor  of  a  limpid,  rain-washed  morning 
had  revealed  to  him  the  gross  outward  impos 
sibility  of  this  place  of  millions — the  vast,  new 
"  villa,"  red-tiled  and  yellow-walled,  hideous 
in  its  multiplicity  of  roofs,  angles,  terraces 
and  bays,  with  outlying  works  of  rubble,  con 
crete,  and  railroad-station  floral  embellish 
ment. 

Scarring  the  green  crypt  of  nature,  stain- 
130 


Pacta  Convent  a 


ing  the  glass  of  the  stream  with  painted  re 
flections  of  its  architectural  deformities, 
Adriutha  Lodge  sprawled  monsterlike  and 
naked  in  the  summer  sunshine. 

Garage,  hothouses,  stables,  barns,  a  farm, 
a  model  dairy,  like  grewsome  spawn  of  a 
common  architectural  dam,  affronted  the 
woods  and  meadows  of  this  little  valley  set 
among  the  remote  Berkshires. 

There  was  no  reticence  left  in  that  dese 
crated  valley  all  vibrant  with  the  scream  of 
discordant  color,  texture,  and  design.  Motor 
cars,  too,  were  noisy  along  the  road;  all  day 
the  silver-mounted  trappings  of  horses  flashed 
in  the  sun.  Staccato  echoes  from  power 
boats  on  the  artificial  lake  offended.  The 
House  of  Rivett  challenged  the  Eternal  pa 
tience  with  a  hundred  lightning  rods. 

Edgerton,  walking  his  horse  beside  Diana's, 
suddenly  drew  bridle  with  an  uncontrollable 
gesture  of  disgust. 

"Listen  to  me,"  he  said;  "where  man's 
despoiling  labor  pollutes  nature,  sadness  and 
resignation  make  heavy  the  hearts  of  her  true 
lovers,  but  where  man's  abominable  ignorance 
desecrates,  reigns  a  more  shocking  desolation 
which  no  modest  heart  ever  forgives ! " 


Japonette 


Diana,  surprised  by  the  sudden  and  unex 
pected  outburst,  drew  bridle  beside  his  stand 
ing  horse. 

A  moment  previous  they  had  been  amiably 
exchanging  idle  gossip  from  their  saddles, 
gradually  falling  back  behind  the  others — 
Silvette,  Christine,  Jack,  and  Colonel  Curmew 
— who  had  cantered  on  forward;  and  now, 
suddenly  out  of  a  clear  sky,  not  apropos  of 
anything,  Edgerton  had  flashed  out  the  bolt 
of  his  contempt  for  the  House  of  Rivett — for 
his  ox,  his  ass,  his  servants,  and  all  that  was 
Rivett's. 

"  Jim,"  she  remarked,  "  isn't  it  rather  bad 
taste  of  you  to  say  that?" 

"  Why  ?  I  am  paid  for  being  here."  But 
he  realized  that  she  was  right,  and  it  made 
him  sullen. 

"  His  roof  shelters  you  none  the  less,"  she 
said  quietly. 

"  Yours  is  rather  a  fine-drawn  sense  of  hos 
pitality,  it  seems  to  me,"  he  retorted. 

"I  can't  snap  at  the  hand  that  feeds 
me." 

"  Good  Lord  !  May  a  man  not  have  his  own 
ideas?" 

"  Under  lock  and  key,  yes." 
132 


Pacta  Conventa 


"All  right/'  he  said,  reddening;  "only  I 
supposed  I  could  be  frank  with  you." 

"Are  we  actually  on  any  such  footing?" 
she  asked  quietly. 

"  I  thought  so — even  a  footing  on  which  I 
permit  myself  to  accept  such  a  rebuke  from 
you." 

She  turned  in  her  saddle. 

"Permit  yourself?"  she  repeated.  "Do 
you  mean  condescend?" 

"  I  mean  what  I  say,"  he  retorted  sulkily, 
still  smarting  under  her  rebuke. 

Her  cheeks  were  bright  with  anger,  her  lips 
compressed  as  though  silence  had  become  an 
effort.  Presently,  however,  she  looked  across 
at  him  with  perfect  sweetness  and  composure. 

"  No,  you  don't  mean  what  you  say,  Jim. 
If  you  did,  you  would  be  at  a  disadvantage 
with  me,  and  you  don't  want  to  be  that;  nor 
do  I  wish  to  be,  ever." 

He  said  obstinately :  "  I'm  getting  sick  of 
this  Adriutha  business." 

"  I  predicted  you  would." 

"Well,  I  am.  ...  It  isn't   false  pride;   I 

don't  care  what  they  think  about  me.     If  I 

chose  to  be  a  waiter  in  a  Broadway  cafe,  their 

opinion  wouldn't  concern   me.  .  .  .  I'm  sim- 

10  133 


Japonette 


ply  weary  of  the  place,  the  majority  of  the 
people — what  they  think  and  do,  their  private 
life,  their  mere  coming  in  and  going  out.  .  .  . 
It  isn't  the  pitiable  absurdity  of  their  offensive 
environment  alone,  the  horror  of  the  archi 
tecture,  the  gilded  entrails  of  their  abode — it's 
the  whole  bally  combination !  .  .  .  I'm  sick — 
sick!  And  that's  the  truth,  Diana." 

"  I  think,"  she  said,  smiling,  "  that  you  are 
also  a  little  bit  bored  with  us." 

He  looked  up  at  her,  perplexed,  already  be 
ginning  to  be  very  much  ashamed  of  his  out 
burst,  already  conscious  of  a  painful  reaction 
from  his  unrestraint. 

"  Diana,"  he  said  impulsively,  "  I'm  just  a 
plain  brute,  and  rather  a  vulgar  one;  but,  do 
you  know,  there  isn't  anybody  else  in  the 
world  I'd  have  permitted  to  hear  that  outburst 
— whether  you  take  it  as  a  compliment  or  not." 

"  You  mean  you  don't  care  what  I  think  of 
you?" 

He  thought  for  a  moment.  "  I  can't  mean 
that,  of  course." 

"  You  might,  very  easily." 

"  I  couldn't ;  I  do  care  what  you  think  of 
me.  Probably  what  I  meant  was  that  I — 
dare  say  things  to  you ;  that  I've  a  sort  of 
134 


Pacta  Convent  a 


instinct  that  I  can  come  to  you  in  an  emer 
gency " 

"  In  other  words,  that  I'll  stand  anything 
from  you  ?  "  she  said,  smiling.  "  I  don't  know 
about  that,  my  friend." 

He  looked  at  her  curiously.  "  I  believe 
you'll  stand  a  good  deal  from  me — and  still 
like  me.  I,  somehow,  count  on  it." 

She  met  his  gaze  directly,  unsmiling  now. 

"  A.  hair  divides  my  sentiments  concern 
ing  you,"  she  said.  "  Extremes  lie  on  either 
side." 

"  Extremes?  " 

"  I  think  so.  It  would  take  very  little  to 
fix  definitely  my  opinion  of  you." 

Sobered,  but  still  curious,  he  sat  his  saddle 
more  firmly  while  the  horses  paced  forward, 
shoulder  against  shoulder,  along  the  forest 
road. 

"  I  didn't  suppose  you  had  any  very  violent 
opinions  concerning  me  one  way  or  another," 
he  said  lightly. 

"  I  haven't — yet." 

"  Or  would  ever  develop  them,  either,"  he 
added,  laughing. 

"  I  probably  never  shall." 

He  said,  after  another  silence :  "  What  was 
135 


Japonette 


it  about  a  hair  dividing  your  sentiments,  and 
that  extremes  lay  on  either  side  ?  " 

"  I  said  that,  Jim." 

"  Extremes  of  what?" 

"  Dislike — friendship — I  suppose.  .  .  .  I'm 
a  person  addicted  to  extremes." 

"  Hatred  is  one  extreme.  Did  you  mean 
that,  Japonette  ?  " 

"  It  is  conceivable,  fair  sir." 

"And — the  other  extreme?" 

"Which?" 

"  The  opposite  extreme  to  hate.  ...  Is 
that  conceivable,  too  ?  " 

"  Do  you  mean  love  ?  "  she  asked  coolly. 

"  Yes,  love,  for  example." 

"  Well,  for  example,  ask  yourself  how 
likely  I  am  to  entertain  that  sentimental  ex 
treme  in  your  regard." 

"Oh,"  he  said;  "then  all  you  threaten  me 
with  is  hatred !  " 

"  Absolutely  all,  cousin  James." 

"  Hobson's  choice  for  mine.  No  matter 
how  agreeable  I  may  be,  placid  friendship  is 
my  only  reward;  and  if  I'm  not  agreeable, 
hatred.  Is  that  it?" 

"  Are  you  not  satisfied?  "  she  asked,  lifting 
her  prettily  shaped  eyes. 

136 


Pacta  Conventa 


He  made  no  reply. 

Yet,  he  had  been  satisfied,  except  at  inter 
vals  during  the  first  flush  of  their  unconven 
tional  friendship,  when  she  was  still  a  fas 
cinating  novelty  to  him,  when  the  charming 
memory  of  the  surprise  was  still  vivid. 

But  since  then,  recently  in  fact,  other  mat 
ters,  somehow,  had  intervened — the  dawning 
distaste  for  his  own  position,  the  apparent  ab 
sence  of  any  future  prospect,  the  gradual  con 
viction  that  he  had  no  real  capacity  for  de 
cently  earning  a  living,  no  ability — perhaps  no 
character. 

His  silence  seemed  to  be  her  answer  now ; 
she  spurred  forward,  accepting  it.  He  put  his 
horse  to  a  canter,  to  a  gallop,  and  they  raced 
away  through  the  woods  until  they  came  in 
sight  of  the  others.  Colonel  Curmew  joined 
her;  Edgerton  rode  forward  with  Christine 
Rivett. 

That  afternoon  there  was  some  tennis 
played;  a  number  of  commonplace  and  very 
rich  people  departed,  leaving  as  residue  the 
original  house  party  which  Edgerton  and  his 
cousins  had  found  there  on  their  arrival,  and 
137 


Japonette 


who  now  knew  one  another  well  enough  to 
separate  into  sympathetic  groups. 

Thus,  Judge  Wicklow,  Mrs.  Rivett,  and 
Mrs.  Lorrimore  played  Chinese  Kahn  under 
the  terrace  awning;  Colonel  Follis  Curmew, 
who  had  been  rash  enough  to  discard  his  coat 
and  reveal  an  unlooked-for  excess  of  abdo 
men,  played  tennis  with  Silvette  against  Jack 
Rivett  and  Mrs.  Wemyss ;  Mr.  Rivett  and  Mr. 
Snaith  indulged  in  laborious  clock  golf  and 
talked  of  oil;  and  Christine  and  Edgerton, 
down  by  the  river's  edge,  continued  a  con 
versation  begun  the  evening  previous,  and 
which  was  near  enough  to  meaning  something 
to  stimulate  their  attention. 

From  his  clock  golf  on  the  lawn  above, 
Mr.  Rivett  turned  his  convex  glasses  on  them 
occasionally;  from  one  card  table  on  the  ter 
race,  her  mother,  drawing  the  white  wool 
shawl  closer  around  her  slight  shoulders, 
watched  her  daughter  from  moment  to  mo 
ment. 

Later,  the  game  ended,  Mrs.  Lorrimore 
victorious,  and  his  honor  unusually  peevish. 
Mrs.  Rivett  rose  and,  advancing  to  the  terrace 
edge,  gazed  down  at  the  river  bank,  where  her 
daughter  and  Edgerton  still  sat  in  the  floating 

138 


Pacta  Conventa 


canoe,  holding  it  inshore  by  grasping  willow 
branches  overhead. 

For  a  few  moments  the  little  old  lady 
watched  them,  one  hand  gathering  the  fleece 
shawl  over  the  magnificent  sapphire  at  her 
breast;  then  she  turned  quietly  away  into  the 
house,  wandering  through  it  from  one  gorge 
ous  room  to  another,  until  at  last  she  came  to 
the  high  organ. 

Here  her  husband  found  her  in  the  semi- 
dusk,  sitting  motionless  and  silent  under  the 
tall  pipes,  hands  folded  in  her  lap. 

"  Well,  mother  ?  "  he  said  in  a  voice  which 
nobody  else  ever  had  the  privilege  of  listen 
ing  to. 

She  lifted  her  head,  smiled,  and  laid  one 
hand  over  his  as  he  seated  himself  beside  her 
in  the  demi-twilight. 

"  Are  you  happy  ? "  he  asked,  patting  the 
worn  ringers. 

"  Yes,  Jacob — when  you  and  the  children 
are." 

"  Does  that  damn  Sims  bother  you  ?  " 

No,  the  housekeeper  did  not  bother  her; 
neither  did  Noonan,  general  superintendent. 

"  Are  you  sure  you  are  feeling  perfectly 
well?" 

139 


Japonette 


"  Yes,  dear." 

"And  you  are  enjoying  the  people?" 

"  Yes.  .  .  .  The  Tennant  girls  are  so  kind 
to  me." 

"  Why  the  devil  shouldn't  they  be  ? "  he 
said  harshly.  "  They  never  met  a  better 
woman !  " 

"Jacob,  dear,  don't  speak  that  way." 

"  Well,  then — don't  be  so  eternally  sur 
prised  if  people  are  nice  to  you,  mother. 
They'd  better  be!" 

She  smiled.  "  I  am  a  rather  plain  and  un 
attractive  old  woman  to  young  people — to 
most  people.  I  have  little  to  say,  but  Diana 
Tennant  and  her  sister  are  very  sweet  to  me. 
Poor,  motherless  girls  !  I  wonder — it  troubles 
me — sometimes — a  great  deal " 

"What?"  he  asked  grimly. 

"  Their  being  so  entirely  alone,  and  so  un 
usually  attractive.  .  .  .  And  they're  good 
girls,  Jacob." 

"  I  assume  that  they  are,"  he  said  dryly. 

"  They  are;  a  woman  knows  at  once.  .  .  . 
They've  made  everybody — all  our  guests — 
enjoy  their  visits  so  much.  Don't  you  think 
so?" 

"  They've  earned  their  salaries.  .  .  .  People 
140 


Pacta  Conventa 


seem   to    like   'em.  .  .  .  I'm   wondering   how 
much  Jack  likes  the  younger  one — Silvette." 

"  Have  you  thought  so,  too  ?  " 

"  I'm  asking  you,  Sarah." 

There  was  a  silence ;  then  she  said  timidly : 

"  Do  you  know  anything  more  about  them  ?  " 

"  They're  rather  learned,"  he  said  grimly. 
"  One,  I  understand,  is  entitled  to  practice 
medicine — the  other  law.  .  .  .  They  scarcely 
look  it." 

"  Those  babies  !  " 

"  Certainly.  Snaith  was  at  Keno  on  busi 
ness  last  winter;  he  heard  of  'em  there.  Also 
— I've  inquired." 

"  You  have  learned  nothing  to  their  dis 
credit,  I  am  sure,"  she  said  confidently. 

"  No ;  as  the  fast  world  wags,  they're  re 
spectable  enough " 

"  Fast !     Jacob  !  " 

"  Oh,  Sarah,  I  didn't  mean  it  in  any  sinis 
ter  sense.  .  .  .  They're  merely  rather  gay — 
into  everything  everywhere — dancing  all  night, 
riding,  motoring  all  over  the  shop.  .  .  . 
They're  pretty  girls,  and  good  ones,  too,  I 
guess.  .  .  .  But  the  world  has  gone  by  us, 
mother.  It's  developed  speed.  That's  what 
I  mean  by  fast." 

141 


Japonette 


"  If  it  were  not  for  the  children's  sake,  I 
would  be  glad  to  be  left  behind,"  she  said, 
smiling. 

"  So  would  I.  Damn  this  gim-crack  fol-de- 
rol !  " 

"  Jacob !  " 

"  Excuse  me.  .  .  .  We'll  do  what  we  ought 
to;  the  children  want  New  York,  and  I'm  go 
ing  to  give  it  to  them  if  I  can.  ...  So  I 
guess  you'd  better  caution  Jack  about  that 
girl."  ' 

"About  Miss  Tennant?" 

"  Silvette ;  yes.    Tell  him  to  keep  away." 

"  But  she  is  Mr.  Edgerton's  cousin." 

"  It's  too  far  off  to  count ;  besides,  it's  not 
a  good  enough  gamble.  As  far  as  that  goes, 
I'm  not  satisfied  that  Jim  Edgerton  is  good 
enough." 

"  Oh,  Jacob  !    You  said " 

"  If  I'd  stuck  to  all  I've  said,  you'd  still  be 
doing  the  family  cooking,  dear.  Jim  Ed 
gerton  does,  or  did,  go  everywhere  in  New 
York.  ...  I  wonder  how  far  he  could  take 
our  daughter  with  him?  .  .  .  Wait,  Sarah 
— I'm  not  reflecting  on  Christine ;  I'm  only 
speculating.  How  do  I  know  about  the  cus 
toms  and  habits  of  the  New  York  fauna?  I 
142 


Pacta  Conventa 


want  to  go  slow.  I  don't  care  how  little 
money  he  has,  or  even  how  much  he  might 
have  had ;  /'//  do  that  part.  But,  first,  I  want 
to  know  exactly  where  he  can  take  Christine. 
The  knot  hole  may  be  too  big  for  her." 

"  They  sent  you  a  report  from  New  York, 
dear.  You  have  a  full  list  of  all  his  relatives." 

"  I  know — I  know.  If  he  had  none,  I 
wouldn't  be  afraid.  It's  a  man's  relatives 
who  act  nasty,  not  his  friends.  .  .  .  Does 
Christine  seem  to  like  him  ?  " 

"  The  child  is  frankly  devoted  to  him.  .  .  . 
I  don't  know  if  it  means  anything  more  than 
friendship.  Christine  is  a  strange  girl.  There 
was  young  Inwood " 

"  Everybody's  beau  !  Glad  she  shipped  him. 
.  .  .  But  to  return  to  Jack — what's  your 
opinion  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know.  He  is  with  Silvette  so 
much;  he  is  such  a  dear  boy " 

"  Tell  him  plainly  we  don't  want  her.  .  .  . 
I  like  her  myself,  but  there's  better  material. 
.  .  .  Other  things  aside,  I  don't  want  my  boy 
to  marry  a  girl  who  plays  cards  the  way  she 
does." 

"  Jacob  !    You  don't  mean " 

"  No,  no !  She's  as  square  as  a  die ;  but  she 
143 


Japonette 


wins  too  much,  stakes  too  much — smokes  too 
much,  drinks  too  many  cocktails — she  and  her 
sister,  too.  Why,  they've  won  steadily  at 
cards  from  the  beginning.  They've  a  genius 
for  it.  /  never  saw  such  playing.  Poor  cards 
don't  worry  them ;  and  they  never  take  the 
shadow  of  advantage,  never  whine,  never  ask 
questions ;  there's  never  an  impatient  word,  a 
look  of  protest — and  the  judge  and  the  colonel 
are  beasts  to  play  with! — and  if  there  ever 
seems  to  be  the  slightest  doubt  or  indication 
of  a  dispute  over  any  point,  those  girls  in 
stantly  concede  it — cheerfully,  too!  They're 
clean-cut  sports — thoroughbred.  .  .  .  But,  by 
God !  I  don't  want  Jack  to  marry  a  gam 
bler  !  " 

He  stood  up,  his  glasses  glistening,  his  little 
burned  eyes  fixed  on  space. 

"  No,"  he  said;  "  I've  done  all  the  gambling 
that  will  be  done  in  this  family.  "  I'll  do  a 
little  more — enough  to  put  the  bits  on  one  or 
two  men  in  New  York  whose  wives  could 
make  it  easy  for  my  children,  if  they  cared  to. 
Then  I'm  done,  mother." 

She  bent  her  head,  and  her  lips  moved. 

"  What?  "  he  said,  hand  to  his  ear. 

"  I  was  only  thinking,  Jacob,  that  I  would 
144 


Pacta  Conventa 


be  happy  when  you  have  finished  with — busi 
ness." 

"  Don't  worry,  dear."  He  put  one  arm 
around  her — a  thin  arm  in  its  loose  coat  sleeve, 
thin  as  a  tempered  steel  rod.  She  laid  her 
faded  face  against  it,  comforted  by  its  in 
flexibility. 

"  Some  day,"  she  said,  "  when  the  children 
are  happy — with  their  families " 

"  Yes,  yes,"  he  nodded ;  "  a  smaller  house 
for  you  and  me — just  a  little  one."  He  smiled ; 
few  people  ever  had  seen  him  smile.  "  Just 
a  little  house  for  two  little  old  people,"  he 
said ;  "  only  one  horse  to  take  us  about,  one 
servant  to  feed  us — eh,  Sarah  ?  " 

She  looked  around  her,  smiling  vaguely  at 
the  magnificence. 

"  I  like  to  dust,"  she  said,  coloring  up  pret 
tily,  "  and  to  make  jelly.  ...  I've  wanted  to 
a  long  while." 

"  You  shall  do  it ;  I  swear  you  shall.  By 
God !  I'll  be  glad  when  that  chef  is  fired !  " 

"  You  know,  Jacob,"  she  said  timidly,  "  with 
knitting  and  dusting  and — -and  a  little  kitchen 
work — and  you — the  day  passes  very  nicely." 

"  Some  day  you'll  make  some  more  of  those 
crullers  !  "  he  predicted  ;  "  mark  my  words !  " 
145 


Japonette 


"  And  the  cinnamon  shells,"  she  added, 
slightly  excited. 

"  Oh,  Lord !  Why  can't  that  fool  of  a  chef 
make  'em !  "  he  burst  out.  "  Well,  I'll  wait. 
...  It  gives  us  something  more  to  wait  for, 
doesn't  it?" 

He  laughed.  Only  his  wife  had  ever  heard 
the  dry  cackle  which  was  his  manifestation 
of  mirth. 

Contented,  she  lifted  her  face,  and  he  kissed 
her. 

He  went  to  New  York  that  evening  to  re 
main  over  Wednesday  as  usual. 

In  the  small  company  remaining  at  Adriu- 
tha  a  certain  intimacy  had  developed,  enough 
to  make  any  effort  at  entertainment  su 
perfluous.  There  was  now  a  decided  in 
clination  to  laziness  in  the  evening,  and  a 
preference  for  the  billiard  room  and  its  easy 
informality. 

It  was  a  big  room  with  open  fires  and  the 
inevitable  trophies  of  somebody  else's  chase 
— the  heads  of  big  game  mounted,  staring  at 
nothing  out  of  their  glass  eyes ;  weapons  of  a 
vanished  age  on  the  oaken  wainscoting,  mod 
ern  guns  in  racks  as  well  as  cues,  and  leather 
146 


Pacta  Conventa 


lounges    and    seats    and    wide-armed    chairs 
everywhere. 

Hither  Mrs.  Rivett  now  brought  her  em 
broidery  or  knitting;  and  around  her,  within 
a  radius  more  or  less  distant,  the  others  gath 
ered  or  circled  in  temporary  orbits,  and 
games  were  played  and  music  made  and  youth 
flirted  and  age  gossiped  much  as  they  did  when 
she  was  a  young  girl  in  Mills  Corners,  and  her 
husband  taught  in  the  red  schoolhouse  next 
door. 

Sometimes  Diana  came  and  sat  beside  her 
and  knitted  a  tie  destined,  she  admitted,  for 
nobody  in  particular;  sometimes  Edgerton 
drew  his  chair  beside  hers  and  told  her  of 
student  life  in  Paris — watching  always  for  her 
delightfully  timid  smile,  the  shy  laugh  that  she 
sometimes  ventured,  the  curiously  pretty  flush 
that  came  at  times  into  her  cheeks,  making 
them  and  the  faded  eyes  almost  beautiful. 

.  Once  or  twice  it  happened  that  Christine 
settled  herself  on  a  footstool  on  the  other  side 
of  her  mother  to  listen,  too;  and  the  little  old 
lady  experienced  a  furtive  content  with  the 
situation  as  Edgerton  and  her  daughter  ex 
changed  pleasantries  and  volleys  of  gay  badi 
nage  across  her  knitting. 


Japonette 


But  listen  as  demurely  as  she  might,  feign 
inattention  and  unconsciousness  as  she  might, 
she  could  detect  in  neither  her  daughter  nor 
in  Edgerton  any  hint  of  a  subtler  understand 
ing,  any  omen  of  anything  for  the  future  be 
yond  a  frank  camaraderie  and  the  undisguised 
pleasure  in  it. 

And  she  sighed  sometimes — not  understand 
ing,  not  venturing  even  to  admit  to  herself  the 
desire  that  was  beginning  to  establish  itself  in 
her  gentle  breast. 

As  for  Edgerton  and  Christine,  they  were 
now  on  terms  of  intimacy  almost  careless. 
With  Diana  he  was  different. 

The  day  of  his  bitter  outbreak  when  riding 
with  Diana,  Edgerton,  terribly  ashamed  of 
himself,  had  gone  once  more  to  her  and  ad 
mitted  that  her  rebuke  was  a  just  one;  that 
he  was  an  ungrateful  dog,  disloyal  to  the  hand 
that  fed  him,  and  not  worthy  of  Diana's  re 
gard. 

And  the  girl  had  forgiven  him  very  sweetly, 
not  with  much  enthusiasm,  for  his  rapidly  ad 
vancing  intimacy  with  Christine  had  begun  to 
perplex  her,  nor  could  she  exactly  understand 
his  apparently  happy  acquiescence  in  condi 
tions  lately  so  irritating. 
148 


Pacta  Conventa 


Not  that  he  neglected  her;  in  his  ami 
able  way  he  was  charming  to  her  and  to  Sil- 
vette;  was  often  with  them;  drove,  rode, 
walked  with  them;  and  often,  when  the 
opportunity  happened,  met  them  in  family  con 
clave  to  discuss  future  prospects  for  busi 
ness. 

But  his  intimacy  with  Christine  advanced 
very  swiftly;  so  rapidly  that  Diana  became 
fully  aware  of  it  only  when  it  was  already  in 
complete  flower.  .  .  .  And  she  wondered  a 
little — and,  looking  at  the  girl,  wondered  less. 
Also,  knowing  Edgerton  less  than  she  sup 
posed  she  did,  the  wonder  as  to  his  motive  be 
gan  to  trouble  her. 

Whatever  Diana  really  thought  of  Edger- 
-ton,  she  did  not  think  him  unusually  strong  in 
character ;  was  not  absolutely  convinced  of  his 
sincerity — was  not  any  too  sure  of  his  motives. 
Yet,  to  doubt  him  always  hurt  her,  and  to 
question  his  sincerity  now  made  her  ashamed 
of  herself.  But  Christine  Rivett  was  very, 
very  rich,  and  the  only  thing  she  did  not  have 
was  a  name  like  Edgerton's  to  insure  her 
future  for  all  time.  Thinking  of  this,  the  girl 
was  ashamed  to  think  it,  and  put  it  resolutely 
from  her  mind;  but  it  returned  at  intervals, 
ii  149 


Japonette 


even  when  he  was  most  charming  to  her  sister 
and  herself. 

Meanwhile  a  silent  but  decisive  little  duel 
had  been  fought  in  her  vicinity,  and  Jack  Riv- 
ett  definitely  replaced  Colonel  Follis  Curmew 
at  Silvette's  side ;  and  that  warrior,  being  un 
familiar  with  the  fortunes  of  war,  first  sulked, 
then  began  to  appear  frequently  in  Diana's 
vicinity — sending  out,  as  it  were,  pickets  of 
observation  and  foraging  parties,  and  finally 
appearing  in  superb  force  with  warlike  in 
tentions  not  to  be  misunderstood,  although 
Diana  contrived  entirely  to  misunderstand 
them. 

"  Do  you  know,"  she  said  to  Silvette  one 
night  as  they  were  preparing  for  bed,  "  I  be 
lieve  that  he  is  actually  falling  in  love  with 
me." 

He  was;  but,  nevertheless,  Diana  entirely 
misunderstood  him. 

And  so  the  early  summer  days  passed  at 
Adriutha,  and  Edgerton,  always  prone  to  ac 
commodate  himself  to  circumstances,  found  it 
easier  and  easier  to  keep  his  pact  with  Mr. 
Rivett. 

Perhaps  he  was  too  easily  colored  by  his 


Pacta  Convent  a 


surroundings ;  for  this  place  and  these  people 
— toward  whom,  under  other  circumstances, 
his  instinct  would  have  been  antagonistic — 
were  becoming  very  agreeable  to  him,  and  he 
had  handy  no  standards  of  comparison  from 
his  own  world — merely  memories,  which  are 
always  inadequate. 

He  never  became  entirely  reconciled  to  the 
architecture  of  Adriutha,  but  the  interior  mag 
nificence  disturbed  him  less  and  less;  besides, 
he  had  very  little  real  love  for  decoration,  and 
knew  little  about  its  harmonies.  All  the  art 
that  was  in  him  consisted  in  a  cleverness  and 
facility  for  expressing  what  was  actually  of 
slight  importance. 

So  he  became  amiably  reconciled  to  his  sur 
roundings,  to  his  own  position.  Probably  the 
lack  of  responsibility  and  the  pleasant  idleness 
had  much  to  do  with  it. 

Still,  he  really  liked  Jack  Rivett  and 
Christine.  In  prosperous  days  the  chances 
would  have  been  against  his  ever  giving  him 
self  the  opportunity  of  liking  them.  But 
chance  had  taken  charge  of  his  career  for  the 
moment ;  he  had  met  them,  and  liked  them — 
was  inclined  to  like  Rivett  senior,  too,  and 
began  to  experience  a  certain  tenderness  to- 


Japonette 


ward  his  frail  little  hostess — something  he  had 
never  noticed  in  himself  since  his  mother's 
death  many  years  ago. 

For  the  others  he  had  no  particular  feelings. 
He  knew,  without  troubling  himself  to  think 
about  it,  that  Colonel  Curmew  was  what  his 
own  friends  would  call  a  bounder ;  and  the  re 
maining  guests  were  of  no  greater  importance 
to  him  than  strangers  inclined  to  be  civil. 

As  for  Silvette  and  Diana,  they  were  not 
only  kindred,  and  so  to  be  automatically  cher 
ished,  but  they  also  were  very  charming  and 
delightful  young  girls;  and  Diana  aroused  his 
curiosity. 

During  the  first  days  of  their  acquaintance, 
the  circumstances  of  his  encounter  with  Di 
ana  had  inclined  him  to  sentiment.  Now  that 
had  been  merged  into  a  nice  friendship — a 
friendship  so  frank  and  pleasant  that,  in  his 
idea,  it  permitted  privileges  of  an  intimacy 
which  at  first  perplexed  and  disturbed  Diana, 
and  which,  presently,  she  began  to  silently  re 
sent  without  exactly  knowing  why. 

What  her  ideas  concerning  Edgerton  really 

were,   she   herself   had  not   entirely   decided. 

She  had  been  as  vividly  conscious  of  the  charm 

of  their  first  encounter  as  had  he ;  being  a 

152 


Pacta  Convent  a 


woman,  she  still  remembered  it  vividly,  where 
as,  with  him,  it  had  dissolved  into  the  mistiest 
of  dream-tinted  memories — charming,  but 
vague. 

Too,  she  remembered  his  attitude  toward 
her  in  those  first  three  days  in  the  studio — 
the  golden  magic  of  them,  the  little  roof  gar 
den,  the  starlings,  the  sunset  beyond  the  river. 
Under  such  circumstances,  the  things  men  say 
and  look,  men  usually  forget;  but  women  re 
member  longer. 

Then  she  remembered,  too,  the  first  days  of 
their  arrival  at  Adriutha.  .  .  .  There  was 
nothing  in  particular  to  recall — a  note  or  two 
from  her  to  him,  from  him  to  her.  .  .  .  Per 
haps  a  something  in  his  voice  and  eyes  which, 
somehow,  had  died  out  since.  .  .  .  Yet,  had 
it  been  anything  in  particular?  And,  grant 
ing  that  it  had,  what  had  she  done  to  encour 
age  it? 

She  had  fallen  into  the  habit  of  thinking 
about  these  things  in  her  bedroom  while  pre 
paring  for  the  night.  She  often  thought,  too, 
about  this  new  friendship  of  his  for  Christine 
Rivett.  It  perplexed  her,  saddened,  irritated 
her  by  turns,  and  it  distressed  her  to  even 
question  his  motives. 

153 


Japonette 


But  Silvette  said  one  evening,  after  they  had 
undressed  and  the  maid  had  left: 

"  Wouldn't  it  be  odd  if  Jim  married  that 
girl?" 

"  Married — her?  "  repeated  Diana,  startled 
out  of  a  reverie  not  entirely  happy. 

"  He's  becoming  very  attentive  to  her.  She 
is  pretty,  of  course,"  Silvette  smiled. 

"  Why  shouldn't  he  marry  her  if  he  finds 
that  he  cares  for  her  ? "  asked  Diana  with 
some  heat. 

"  I  was  merely  surprised  that  he  should  care 
for  her  in  that  way.  She  is  not  his  sort." 

"  Sort !  sort !  What  does  that  matter !  "  said 
Diana  hotly.  "  It  never  stopped  a  thorough 
bred  from  mating.  He  can  afford  to  love 
where  he  chooses,  I  fancy." 

"  Or  marry  what  he  chooses,  anyway." 

"  Silvie !  Do  you  imagine  he'd  do  a  thing 
like  that — not  loving  her !  " 

"  I  don't  know,"  said  Silvette  coolly ;  "  he's 
a  dear  boy,  and  nice  to  us,  but  I  don't  credit 
him  with  superhuman  qualities.  .  .  .  And  she 
inherits  millions." 

"  It  isn't  in  him  to  do  it.  ...  And  there  are 
plenty  of  his  own  sort  who  would  be  glad 

enough " 

154 


Pacta  Conventa 


"  Why  do  you  become  so  animated,  Di  ? 
Have  you  noticed  any  particular  strength  of 
character  in  Jim  Edgerton  ?  " 

"  Yes.  .  .  .  He  is  as  true  as  steel,  under 
neath  the  amiable  exterior  of  a  drifter  and 
dilettante.  .  .  .  He  has  ideals.  ...  I  am  not 
one  of  them — I  know  that." 

"  Do  you  care  particularly  ?  " 

"No.  ...  I  don't  know  whether  I  do  or 
not.  ...  I  never  seem  to  know  what  to  say 
to  him  these  days.  We  talk  together  like  two 
men.  I'd  like  to  know  what  he  thinks  about 
me — the  kind  of  woman  I  am,  compared  to 
others  in  his  own  set.  ...  I'd  like  to  know 
what  he  thinks  about  my  gambling  and  cock 
tails  and  cigarettes,  which  you  and  I  have  got 
to  stop !  What  he  really  thinks  of  our  posi 
tion  in  this  house — in  the  world !  I  don't  be 
lieve  he  thinks  much  of  it." 

"  Does  his  position  differ  from  ours  ? " 
asked  Silvette  gently ;  "  why  are  you  so  ex 
cited,  little  sister?" 

"  I'm  not  excited.  .  .  .  Things — various 
matters  have  occurred  to  me — recently;  and 
I've  made  up  my  mind  that  I  don't  like  to  see 
him  here.  This  is  no  place  for  him,  no  posi 
tion.  He  is  capable  of  doing  better  things, 
157 


Japonette 


more  important  things,  nobler  things.  He 
slips  into  a  life  like  this  too  easily;  he  is  too 
easily  reconciled,  too  quickly  content." 

Silvette  seated  herself  on  a  rocking  chair 
and,  leaning  back,  sat  rocking  and  inspecting 
her  sister,  who  stood  by  the  bed,  her  brown 
locks  clustering  against  her  cheeks. 

"  There  is  something  to  Jim,"  she  insisted. 
"  He  can  do  things — respectable,  dignified 
things — and  make  his  living.  It  humiliates 
me  to  see  him  here  in  such  a  capacity " 

"  As  ours  ?  "  added  Silvette,  smiling. 

"  Yes,  as  ours.  He  is  a  man,  and  it  does 
not  become  him." 

"  We  are  respectively  physician  and  lawyer, 
but  our  talents  and  fortunes  lie  in  this  pro 
fession." 

Diana  flushed.  "If  we  were  anything  ex 
cept  the  frivolous,  ease-loving,  and  pleasure- 
craving  little  beasts  that  we  are,  we  wouldn't 
be  here." 

"  No ;  we'd  starve,  respectably,  in  our  sev 
eral  offices.  Do  you  want  Jim  to  starve  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know,"  said  Diana,  almost  fiercely ; 
"  I'd  rather  see  him  in  want,  I  think,  than  do 
ing  this  kind  of  thing." 

"  I  don't  believe  he  will  do  it  very  long — 

158 


Pact  a  Convent  a 


on    a    salary,"    laughed    Silvette.     "  Christine 
evidently  adores  him." 

Diana  was  silent;  her  sister  laughed,  and 
rose,  putting  one  arm  around  her. 

"  Don't  be  sentimental  over  Jim  Edgerton," 
she  said ;  "  he  is  a  lightweight,  Di." 

"  You  are  wrong ;  and  I  am  not  senti 
mental." 

"  Well,  I  believe  you  did  get  over  it ;  but 
you're  a  loyal  and  generous  little  thing, 
Di,  and  you're  worrying  over  a  man  who 
is  entirely  capable  of  looking  out  for  him 
self." 

"  That's  what  I  want  him  to  do." 

"  He's  doing  it,  very  gracefully.  Later, 
with  equal  and  fetching  grace  he'll  let  some 
wealthy  girl  do  it  for  him." 

"  That  would  be  contemptible ;  he  isn't." 

"  Now,  does  the  world  so  consider  an  ad 
vantageous  marriage,  little  sister?  Besides, 
that  is  exactly  what  we  have  planned  for  our 
selves,  isn't  it?  " 

"  We  ?  What  are  ive,  anyway,  compared  to 
a  man  who  can  count  in  the  world !  "  flashed 
out  Diana,  surprised  at  her  own  vehemence, 
aware  that  her  sister  was  even  more  aston 
ished  and  chagrined. 

159 


Japonette 


"  What  on  earth  are  you  saying?"  she 
exclaimed.  "  Are  you  in  love  with  that 
man?" 

"  No." 

"  One  might  infer  as  much." 

"  You  may  infer  it  if  you  choose." 

"  Di !  " 

"What?" 

"  Why  do  you  speak  to  me  that  way?  " 

"  Because — I  don't — know." 

She  turned  and  moved  toward  the  bed,  en 
countered  the  soft,  open  arms  of  her  sister. 
They  closed  around  her ;  she  laid  her  head  on 
Silvette's  shoulder. 

"  Darling !  Little  Di !  "  whispered  Silvette 
in  sorrowful  consternation.  "  Has  this  really 
happened  to  you  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know — I  don't  know.  ...  I  am 
not  happy;  I  don't  understand.  ...  At  mo 
ments  I  cannot  believe  it.  ...  He  is  not  my 
ideal  of  a  man;  I  am  stronger  in  many  ways 
— I  am  wiser  than  he.  He  is  only  a  boy,  Sil- 
vie — careless,  ease  loving,  with  nothing  but 
smatterings — nothing  but  the  social  experience 
of  a  man  of  his  class  behind  him.  Nothing 
real  has  ever  happened  to  him  in  life.  .  .  . 
And,  somehow,  I  know — I  know  that  if  it  only 
1 60 


Pacta  Conventa 


did,  he  would  become  a  man — a  real  man.  I 
know  it;  I  can't  bear  to  see  him  waste  his  Ufe 
— fall  into  easy  ways  of  thinking — make  no 
effort.  ...  I  want  him  to  strive;  I  want  him 
to  fight  life.  .  .  .  He  ought  to.  The  making 
of  him  is  in  a  battle  with  circumstances.  This 
life  is  ruin  to  him — this  house,  these  people, 
any  people  who  will  employ  him .  in  such  a 
capacity !  " 

She  caught  her  breath,  almost  in  a  sob. 

"  I  have  cared  for  him — a  little — from  the 
very  first.  ...  I  am  not — fitted  for  him-^in 
many  ways." 

"  Di !  " 

"  I  am  not!  I  care  for  him  unselfishly.  I 
don't  know  why  I  should,  but  I  do;  and  he 
ought  not  to  marry  me  even  if  he — ever — 
wished  to." 

"You  are  talking  wildly,  darling!  You — 
not  good  enough  for  him!  What  a  silly " 

"  Not  good  enough,  I  tell  you !  "  repeated 
the  girl  fiercely.  "  I  care  too  much  for  what 
he  finds  agreeable — all  this  ease  and  relaxa 
tion.  ...  I  wish  I  were  different.  I  wish  I 
could  arouse  him ;  I'd  do  it.  I'd  do  it  some 
how — I'd  do  it  now  if  I  could " 

She  caught  her  breath,  stood  perfectly  mo- 
161 


Japonette 


tionless  a  moment,  then  Silvette  felt  her  trem 
ble  slightly. 

After  a  while  she  lifted  her  .head  from  her 
sister's  shoulder. 

"  I  am  going  to  do  what  I  can  for  him," 
she  said  excitedly.  "  I  am  going  to  see  what 
can  be  done  to  arouse  the  man  in  him.  All 
he  needs  is  the  initial  shock — a — a  stinging 
one." 

"  What  do  you  mean?  If  there  was  any 
thing  in  him,  the  shock  of  the  firm's  failure 
would  have  brought  it  out." 

"  It  was  not  enough.  It  was  only  the  loss 
of  money!  There  are  worse  things " 

"  Di !    What  are  you  going  to  do  ?  " 

Suddenly  the  girl's  face  grew  radiant. 

"  I  know  now,"  she  said  breathlessly. 

"What?" 

But  Diana  only  kissed  her  sister,  laughing, 
flushed,  excited,  and,  extending  her  arm, 
turned  off  the  light,  plunging  the  room  and 
her  brilliant  cheeks  in  darkness. 


CHAPTER   VII 

FLOS    VENERIS 

DGERTON  and  Christine,  ensconced 
in  the  corners  of  a  window  seat,  and 
partly  visible  through  the  leaded  panes,  were 
too  deeply  absorbed  in  each  other  to  be  aware 
of  the  curious  glances  shot"  toward  them  from 
the  tennis  court  outside,  where  Silvette,  Colo 
nel  Curmew,  Mrs.  Lorrimore,  and  Jack  Rivett 
were  playing,  while  Diana,  perched  aloft  with 
her  knitting  in  the  umpire's  seat,  resolutely 
ignored  the  spectacle  in  the  window,  which 
was  plainer  to  her  than  to  anybody  else. 

Perfectly  oblivious  to  any  extraneous  in 
terest  they  aroused,  sitting  almost  nose  to  nose 
and  knee  to  knee  in  the  deep  recess,  Christine 
and  Edgerton  remained  in  close  consultation, 
preoccupied,  possibly  indifferent  to  view  or 
comment.  Christine  bent  forward,  and  drew 
a  carnation  through  his  buttonhole,  saying: 

"  Anyway,  you  are  a  perfect  dear,  Jim  Ed- 


Japonette 


gerton.  Somehow  or  other,  I  haven't  any 
blushes  for  what  I've  taken  so  many  weeks  to 
tell  you.  I  never  thought  I  could  know  any 
body  well  enough  to  say  such  a  thing  to,  but 
you  are  different;  there's  nobody  like  you, 
Jim.  Do  you  wonder  I  adore  you?  " 

"  You  sweet  little  thing,  I've  a  mind  to  kiss 
you  for  that !  " 

"  I  may  let  you  at  the  psychological  mo 
ment.  .  .  .  Do  you  think  me  absolutely 
shameless? — but  I've  asked  you  that  before 
about  a  dozen  times.  .  .  .  You  'don't  think  so, 
do  you  ?  " 

''If  other  women  displayed  the  common 
honesty  and  common  sense  that  you  display, 
there'd  be  a  good  deal  less  unhappiness  in  the 
world." 

"  But  how  can  other  women,  when  there 
is  only  one  Jim  Edgerton !  Oh,  I  liked  you 
so  much — as  soon  as  I  saw  you ;  and  before  I 
had  known  you  a  week,  I  was  ready  to  tell 
you  anything — and  now  I've  done  it !  " 

"  It  took  several  weeks  before  you  came  to 
the  point,"  he  said,  laughing. 

"  I  know,  but,  oh !  it  was  such  a  terrible 
thing  to  do! — I  don't  even  now  understand 
how  I  ever  came  to  tell  vou." 


Flos  Veneris 


"  You  didn't ;  I  extracted  it,  seeing  that  you 
were  in  pain." 

She  blushed. 

"  Yes,  it  was  pain.  .  .  .  Not  one  of  my  own 
family  sus'pected  it.  Father  doesn't  dream  of 
such  a  thing;  Jack  doesn't,  of  course.  As  for 
dear  little  mother,  you  know  what  she  thinks 
about  you  and  me." 

Edgerton  smiled  almost  tenderly. 

"  She  is  very  nice  to  me,"  he  said.  "  I  al 
most  wish  I  could  verify  her  charming  theory." 

"  Concerning  us?" 

"  Certainly.  ...  As  it  is,  I  believe  I'm 
more  than  half  in  love  with  you,  anyway, 
Christine." 

She  blushed  again,  looking  at  him  with  her 
pretty,  frank,  brown  eyes;  and  they  both 
laughed  happily. 

"  It's  the  first  time  in  all  my  life  that  I've 
been  of  any  use  in  the  world,"  he  said. 

"You  did  ask  father?"  she  inquired,  still 
charmingly  flushed ;  "  didn't  you  ?  " 

"  I  certainly  did.  He  said :  '  Is  young  In- 
wood  such  a  particular  friend  of  yours  ? '  I 
said :  '  He  is  ! '  He  said  :  '  All  right ;  ask  my 
wife.'  So  I  asked  your  mother,  and  she  said: 
'  Oh,  please,  Mr.  Edgerton,  invite  anybody  you 

12  l6 


Japonette 


wish  to.'  So  I  wrote  Billy  Inwood,  and  your 
bully  little  mother  inclosed  my  letter  in  the 
sweetest  note  of  her  own;  and  now  he  has 

telegraphed " 

"Telegraphed?" 

"  I've  just  received  the  message." 
He  fished  it  out  of  his  coat  pocket,  and 
handed  it  to  her,  and  she  read: 

"  On  my  way ! 

"  BILL." 

"  Is  that  all?  "  she  asked,  half  laughing,  half 
excited. 

"  He  telegraphed  your  mother  the  substance 
of  a  moderate-sized  letter.  She's  probably  in 
her  room  now,  reading  it.  She  showed  it  to 
me  in  amazement,  but  I  didn't  have  time  to 
follow  all  his  polite  and  grateful  meander- 
ings." 

"  I  wish  to  see  it !  "  said  the  girl  excitedly. 

"  Go  ahead ;  your  mother  has  it.  I  was 
anxious  to  let  you  know  how  matters  had 
turned  out,  first." 

"You're  a  dear!"  she  repeated,  and  her 
voice  was  not  any  too  steady.  "  I  am  happy  ; 
I  am  happier  than  I've  been  for — "  She 
166 


Flos  Vencris 


checked  herself,  and  bent  her  head  for  a 
moment;  he  pretended  to  reread  the  tele 
gram. 

"  It  will  be  all  right  now,"  he  observed. 

"  I  wish  I  knew,"  she  said  under  her  breath. 

"Don't  you?" 

She  lifted  her  honest  eyes  to  his. 

"  How  can  I  know,  Jim  ?  I  don't  know  how 
men  are.  It  all  happened  over  a  year  ago. 
...  I  was  no  wiser  than  a  schoolgirl.  What 
experience  had  I — with  such  episodes — such 
conditions — or  with  anything?" 

"  You  did  act  like  a  schoolgirl — to  send  him 
about  his  business,"  said  Edgerton  with  a 
shrug. 

"  I  wouldn't  have  if  I  hadn't— hadn't " 

"Cared  for  him?" 

"  Loved  him,"  she  said  steadily. 

"  You're  a  corker,  Christine !  "  he  said  in 
genuine  admiration. 

"Am  I?    Thank  you,  Jim." 

"  Yes,  you  are ;  and  so  is  Billy  Inwood — 
the  real  Billy.  Young  men  like  to  chase  about 
with  married  women.  They  love  to  delude 
themselves  into  the  pleasing  belief  that  they 
are  sad  dogs " 

"  There  was  more  to  it  than  that,"  said  the 


Japonette 


girl ;  "  he  went  to  Keno  to  see  her.     That  is 
what  confounded  me." 

"  While  she  was  getting  her  divorce  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  Then  you  can  bet  that  there  was  nothing 
in  it,  you  little  goose.  .  .  .  Who  was  she,  any 
way  ?  " 

"  A  Mrs.  Atherstane.    Do  you  know  her  ?  " 

"  No,"  said  Edgerton ;  "  and  you  certainly 
did  act  like  a  schoolgirl." 

"  I  know  I  did,  and  I  was  twenty.  ...  I 
asked  him  to  come  to  Hot  Springs;  she  re 
quested  him  to  go  to  Keno.  He  took  his 
choice;  he  had  a  perfect  right  to.  ...  And 
then  I  wrote  him  that  letter,  dismissing 
him." 

"  Ought  never  to  have  done  it,  sweetness," 
said  Edgerton  gravely.  "  There  are  no  fet 
ters  to  hold  a  man  like  absolute  freedom.  He 
was  probably  bound  to  her  in  various  ways, 
innocently  enough,  of  course;  but  she  was 
probably  lonely  and  in  trouble — and — noblesse 
oblige.  I  tell  you  a  young  man  has  to  pay  for 
sympathizing  with  an  unhappily  married  wom 
an  !  And  she  usually  sees  that  he  does." 

Christine  sat  back,  nursing  her  knees,  eyes 
downcast. 

168 


Flos  Veneris 


"  He  was  right,"  she  said.  "  She  was  his 
friend." 

"  Perhaps  he  was  more  right  than  you  real 
ize,  Christine.  When  a  man's  man  friend  is 
battered  and  used  up,  the  man  still  clings  to 
him — anyway,  until  he  borrows  money;  but 
when  his  woman  friend  becomes  •  slightly  the 
worse  for  wear,  he  is  inclined  to  discard  her 
as  naively  as  he  would  a  worn-out  coat  That 
is  the  rule — romance  to  the  contrary.  .  .  .  In- 
wood  proved  the  exception,  that' s  all." 

"  Yes,"  said  the  girl  in  a  low  voice. 

"  He  proved  the  exception  to  me,  too,"  said 
Edgerton,  smiling. 

"  To  you,  Jim?  " 

"  Certainly ;  wanted  to  lend  me  money  when 
I  arrived  in  town  on  my  uppers." 

The  girl  smiled. 

"  Oh,  he's  all  right,"  said  Edgerton ;  "  I've 
known  him  since  he  was  six  and  I  twelve." 

"  He — is — all — right,"  repeated  Christine 
slowly ;  "  but — am  I,  Jim  ?  " 

"  You  know  you  are — kleine  Fischerin!  " 

"  But  I  wrote  him  that  wretched  letter.  If 
it  hurt  him  as  it  hurt  me — "  She  ceased 
abruptly,  and  turned  her  face  toward  the 
window. 

169 


Japonette 


i(  You  were  years  younger,  then." 

"  One  year,"  tremulously. 

"  Years,  sweetness.  ...  Do  you  think  your 
father  will  ever  stand  for  him  ? " 

"  He  scarcely  knows  him.  He  did  not  un 
derstand  why  Mr.  Inwoo'd  never  came  to  Hot 
Springs,  or  why  I  never  again  saw  him.  Prob 
ably  he  supposes  I  lost  interest." 

"  So  your  father  believes  that  you  are  all 
over  that  affair,  doesn't  he  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  but  he  probably  remembers  that  Mr. 
Inwood  was  to  have  come  to  Hot  Springs, 
and  didn't.  Fathers  usually  remember  such 
things,  and  sometimes  ask  why." 

"  Well,  Christine,"  he  said,  smiling,  "  you'll 
have  to  fix  it  with  your  father;  and  I  think 
you  can." 

"  Why  do  you  think  so  ?  " 

"  Because  there  is  much  of  your  father  in 
you — steel  under  the  velvet  skin  of  that  pretty 
figure,  or  I  miss, my  guess." 

The  girl  said  thoughtfully :  "  I  am,  perhaps, 
more  like  father  than  Jack  is.  ...  That  is 
not  really  what  concerns  me.  .  .  .  Has  Mr. 
Inwood  changed— in  appearance  ?  " 

"  Within  a  year  ?  No !  Nor  otherwise,  I'll 
wager." 

170, 


Flos  Veneris 


"  Do  you— think " 

"  I  don't  know ;  I  don't  know,  little  girl. 
Men  are  protean  creatures ;  God  knows  what 
incarnation  they'll  assume  next !  .  .  .  But  if 
a  woman  really  cares  for  a  man,  and  if  he 
isn't  in  love  with  anybody  else,  it  ought  to  be 
a  cinch — even  if  he  had  as  many  incarnations 
as  Albert  Chevallier  !  " 

"  Jim !  " 

"Well,  I  know  my  sex,"  he  said; '"the 
cleverest  of  them  are  boobs  in  the  hands  of 
yours " 

"  Jim  !    You  are  becoming  horrid !  " 

"  That  means  I'm  becoming  truthful.  Hoo 
ray  !  I  see  Bill's  happy  finish."  He  picked  up 
her  soft  little  hand  and  kissed  it.  "  Velvet 
and  steel,"  he  said — "  the  hand  that  rocks  the 
world!  Yes?  No?  Good-by,  you  little 
wretch !  I'm  going  canoeing  with  my  cousin 
Diana." 

"  Did  you  say  that  mother  has  that  tele 
gram  ?  "  she  asked  naively,  sliding  from  the 
window-sill  to  the  floor. 

"  Yes ;  and  it's  a  mile  long — a  bally  serial, 
Christine — to  be  continued  this  evening,  I  ex 
pect." 

They  clasped  hands  at  the  threshold;  then 
171 


Japonette 


she  ran  upstairs,  and  he  sauntered  out  to  the 
tennis  court,  where  Diana  still  sat  on  her  high 
perch  knitting  the  silken  tie,  although  below 
her  the  game  had  ended  and  the  players  had 
gone  to  the  terrace  for  iced  tea. 

"  Well,  of  all  pretty  monuments !  "  he  ex 
claimed.  "  You  have  the  other  one  on  the 
Madison  Square  tower  beaten  to  a  froth !  " 

"  Beware  of  my  arrows,"  she  said,  smiling, 
as  the  wind  blew  her  scarf  into  a  silvery  arc 
from  her  shoulders. 

"  Arrows  ?  No,  I'm  wrong ;  you  look  like 
the  Angel  of  the  Central  Park  Fountain." 

"  I  feel  like  the  dickens,"  she  said,  folding 
her  knitting  and  descending  the  steps. 

"Headache?" 

"  No ;  I  merely  sat  up  too  late,  and  I'm 
sleepy.  It's  perfectly  horrid  that  you  can't 
stop  when  you're  winning.  .  .  .  What  did  you 
wish  me  to  do,  Jim — canoe  with  you  ?  " 

"  I  thought  you  wanted  to." 

"  Is  that  why  you  asked  me  ?  " 

"  I  wanted  to,  also.  Why  do  you  always 
put  me  in  wrong,  Diana  ?  " 

"  Jim,  do  I  put  you  in  wrong,  as  you  call 
it?" 

"  Sometimes." 

172 


Flos  Veneris 


"  Well,  it's  horrid  of  me.  Forgive  me.  I 
do  try  to  be  such  good  friends  with  you,  and 
somehow  I  don't  succeed." 

"  You — we  arc  good  friends,"  he  said ;  "  you 
know  perfectly  well  how  I  feel  about  you." 

They  had  walked  as  far  as  the  river's  edge, 
where  several  green-hulled  canvas  canoes  lay 
on  the  grass. 

"Suppose  we  walk,"  she  said;  "shall  we? 
I'm  too  lazy  to  paddle.  I'm  sleepy,  Jim.  A 
walk  ought  to  wake  me  up." 

"  I  know  a  ledge  where  you  can  take  a  cat 
nap,"  he  said.  "  Accept  forty  winks  from  me, 
and  we'll  paddle  afterwards." 

So  they  strolled  along  the  river  path,  fra 
grant  with  mint  and  vine  and  blossom;  and 
presently  the  cool  green  of  the  woods  envel 
oped  them,  and  their  feet  pressed  the  moist, 
springy  leaves  of  a  forest  path  that  led  over 
little  brooks  and  up  a  slope  of  young  growth, 
all  checkered  with  sun  spots,  to  a  vast  over 
hanging  ledge  of  rocks. 

"  Just  look  at  that  moss !  "  exclaimed  Diana. 
"  I  believe  I'll  sit  down  on  it  this  minute.  Jim, 
do  sit  down.  It's  like  velvet,  and  there's  miles 
of  it;  and  here  is  the  most  enchanting  silver 
birch  tree  for  my  back  to  rest  on,  and  some 
173 


Japonette 


wood  lilies   to  look  at.  ...  Isn't  this   heav 
enly  ! " 

4<  Out  of  sight/'  he  said  lazily,  stretching 
himself  at  her  feet  and  glancing  up  at  her. 
"  Go  ahead  with  your  cat  nap.  I'll  time  you 
half  an  hour." 

After  a  moment  he  laughed,  and  her  eye 
brows  went  up  in  a  silent  question. 

He  said :  "  I  never  noticed  it  before.  It's 
odd." 

"Noticed  what?" 

"  How  funny  they  are  in  outline — your  eyes, 
I  mean." 

"  Thank  you,  Jim." 

"  Oh,  they're  most  engaging  eyes,  Diana." 

"  More  thanks,  thank  you !  " 

"  I  mean  that  they  tip  up  a  trifle — just  a 
trifle,  Japonette." 

"  They  don't !  " 

"  They  do.  Like  a  pretty  Japanese  girl's. 
Only  yours  are  blue.  .  .  .  They're  very 
blue — unusually — like  the  sky — that  sort  of 
blue." 

"  Young  man,"  she  said  with  mock  serious 
ness,  "  don't  you  know  what  comes  of  specu 
lating  in  ladies'  eyes?" 

"  Bankruptcy  of  the  heart,"  he  nodded. 
174 


Flos  Veneris 


"  Then  choose  some  safer  and  preferred 
stock,  please." 

He  lay  smiling  up  at  her,  watching  the 
shades  of  expression  varying  in  her  youthful 
face — watching  the  delicate  shape  of  her 
mouth,  which  had  always  fascinated  him  with 
its  unspoiled  purity. 

"  Do  you  know,"  he  said,  partly  to  himself, 
"  that  when  I  first  set  eyes  on  you,  Japonette, 
I  knew  I  had  never  seen  anything  half  as 
beautiful." 

"  You  didn't  think  so  long,"  she  returned, 
laughing.  "  Christine  is  goddess  of  beauty 
just  now." 

"  I  have  always  thought  so,"  he  repeated. 

"  Then — why  don't  you  ever  say  it  to  me  ?  " 

His  smile  changed  a  little. 

"  What  would  be  the  use  of  my  telling  you 
that  you  are  beautiful?" 

"Use?" 

"  What  good  would  it  do  for  me  to  become 
sentimental  over  your  beauty?  " 

"  Lots  of  good — to  me,  Jim.  You  can't  tell 
a  girl  too  often  that  she  is  pretty — when  you 
really  think  so.  ...  And  I  almost  believe  you 
do  think  so."  She  glanced  at  him  sideways, 
laughed  a  little,  then  her  blue  eyes  wandered 
175 


Japonette 


and  she  leaned  back,  pensive,  twisting  a  green 
oak  leaf  between  idle  fingers. 

"  Do  you  know,"  he  said  after  a  moment, 
"  that,  just  now,  you  are  like  Japonette  again. 
I  haven't  seen  you  so  like  the  real  Japonette 
for  a  long  while." 

"  How  can  I  be  Japonette  again?  I  lack 
the  sandals  and  butterfly  sash  and  the  peonies 
over  my  ears,  Jim.  And — that  was  about  all 
you  saw  in  Japonette,  wasn't  it  ?  " 

"  Almost  all.  Her  face  was  only  a  shadowy 
flower  against  the  sunshine,  and  its  enchant- 
ment  turned  the  world  to  fairyland." 

"Alas !  the  spell  was  temporary.  The  vic 
tim  of  my  spells  fled  to  the  roof,  and  told  me 
stories  about  starlings  and — and  children.  .  .  . 
But,  somehow,  I  let  him  get  away  from  me, 
and  I  don't  know  how  to  find  him  again." 

Edgerton  watched  her.  She  had  plaited  a 
sash  out  of  green  oak  leaves  and  fitted  it 
around  her  slender  waist;  and  now,  absently, 
she  was  placing  in  her  hair,  above  each  little 
close-set  ear,  a  scarlet  wood  lily. 

Presently  she  caught  his  eye,  and  made  him 
a  pretty  gesture. 

"  You  see  I  am  trying  my  best  to  return 
with  you  to  yesterday.  ...  It  is  a  long  path 
176 


Flos  Veneris 


— back  over  the  hours  and  minutes  to  yester 
day,  back  to  a  land  of  dreamy  suns  and  for 
gotten  skies,  and  unremembered  thoughts. 
.  .  .  Shall  I  try  to  guide  you  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  he  said,  not  smiling. 

"  We  may  lose  our  way  among  the  phan 
toms,"  she  warned  him  gayly;  then  became 
preternaturally  solemn,  resting  her  chin  in  one 
hand. 

Her  seriousness  enchanted  him — her  youth 
ful  grace  as  she  bent  slightly  above  him,  one 
warning  finger  uplifted  as  when  a  nurse  speaks 
of  mysteries  to  a  child  in  the  quiet  of  twi 
light. 

"  Join  hands  with  me  in  spirit,  and  I'll  try 
to  lead  you,"  she  said.  ..."  Now,  follow 
me,  while  we  make  our  way  through  the 
throng  of  strange  faces,  treading  a  path  si 
lently,  discreetly,  avoiding  this  pretty  girl  with 
her  bright  brown  eyes." 

"  Christine,"  he  thought,  and  started  to 
speak. 

"  Hush !  "  she  cautioned  him ;  "  for  we 
mustn't  speak  yet — not  until  we're  in  the  land 
of  yesterday.  .  .  .  And  we  are  passing  over 
the  minutes  and  hours  and  days  and  weeks — 
and  it's  like  treading  on  formless  mist;  so 
179 


Japonette 


hold  tightly  to  my  hand,  and  follow  me — 
through  a  golden  ballroom,  around  a  great 
gilded  piano,  then  out  into  the  June  rain,  Jim. 
.  .  .  Have  you  let  go  my  hand  ?  " 

"  No." 

"  Then  we  are  very  near  the  land  of  yes 
terday.  ...  I  thought  I  heard  a  starling 
whistle.  Surely !  and  there  is  the  sunset  over 
the  river — and  now  we  are  in  the  house,  Jim. 
And  it  is  not  sunset,  after  all ;  it  is  sunrise — 
the  sunburst  of  Japan!  And  there,  against 
it " 

"  You !  "  he  said  in  a  voice  not  very  firm. 

"  Hush !  Those  two  figures  we  see  are  only 
phantoms.  Let  us  stand  here  by  the  door  and 
listen  to  what  they  might  have  said." 

"  They  did  say  things  !  " 

"Ah!  but  it  is  to  what  they  might  have 
said  that  we  must  try  to  listen.  Be  very 
silent,  now.  Look  at  that  girl  in  her  silk 
and  sandals  and  the  flowers  in  her  hair! 
Look  at  that  young  fellow,  rooted  to  the 
floor,  amazed  at  the  apparition!  Can  you 
heaf  what  he  might  have  said  to  her  in  his 
astonishment  ?  " 

"  He  might  have  said :  '  Your  loveliness  con 
founds  me.  You  are  the  most  beautiful  vision 
180 


Flos  Veneris 


I  have  ever  dreamed.'  .  .  .  What  does  she 
say,  Japonette  ?  " 

"  She  says :  '  For  a  moment  I  was  afraid 
you'd  filled  your  suit  cases  with  our  silver; 
but  you  are  so  obviously  nice  that  I  am  not 
alarmed  any  more.  I'm  merely  ashamed  to 
be  caught  here  in  this  theatrical  dress.'  What 
might  he  have  said  to  that,  Jim  ?  " 

"  He  might  have  said :  '  Is  it  a  heavenly  pos 
sibility  that  you  are  real,  and  not  a  vision? 
Allah  is  merciful  to  the  believer  in  dreams. 
Your  name  is  Youth  and  Beauty;  I  will  call 
you  Japonette,  but  the  high  white  gods  have 
named  you  Diana.'  .  .  .  And  what  does  she 
say,  Japonette  ?  " 

"  She  might  have  answered :  '  O  youth  with 
the  engaging  smile,  out  of  my  breast  you  have 
charmed  the  winged  heart,  and  it  is  fluttering 
there  above  you,  restless,  uncertain — just  be 
yond  your  reach/  .  .  .  And  what  does — might 
he  have  answered,  Jim?" 

"  He  might  have  said :  '  I  love  you,  but  my 
outward  self  does  not  know  it  yet — will  not 
know  it,  even  on  the  roof  garden — even  when 
the  sun  hangs  low  and  the  starlings  pipe,  and 
all  the  west  is  a  glory  of  gold  and  rose;  and 
I  shall  never  know  it  until  you  lead  me  back 
13  181 


Japonette 


from  to-morrow,  through  the  magic  path  of 
days  and  hours,  to  the  true  world  of  yester 
day.'  .  .  .  What  answer  does  she  make, 
Diana?" 

His  voice  had  grown  very  unsteady ;  he  lay 
there  looking  at  her,  the  smile  stamped  on  his 
lips.  And  her  faint  smile  had  become  fixed, 
too. 

"  She  made  no  answer/'  said  Diana. 

"  She  might  have.  .  .  .  Remember,  all  this 
is  what  they  might  have  said." 

"  And  did  not.  ...  I  don't  know  what  she 
might  have  said."  .  .  .  Suddenly  she  flung 
the  green  sash  of  leaves  from  her  body,  tore 
the  scarlet  wood  lilies^from  her  hair,  and  flung 
them  away  with  a  gay,  little  laugh. 

"  What  an  idle,  silly  pair  we  are,"  she  said. 
"  I've  had  my  nap.  I'm  awake,  now." 

"Was  all  that  a  dream?" 

"  You  know  it  was.  ...  It  began  with  a 
fable — which  sent  me  off  to  sleep." 

"  It  ended  in  truth — and  an  awakening — for 
one  of  us." 

"  Jim,  you're  not  pretending  to  be  serious, 
are  you  ?  Goodness  !  "  she  added  impatiently ; 
"  can't  I  pretend  with  you,  and  not  be  misun 
derstood  ?  " 

182 


Flos  Veneris 


He  sat  up,  sprang  to  his  feet,  and  began  to 
pace  the  moss. 

She,  resting  against  the  silver  birch,  watched 
him,  already  a  little  frightened,  her  heart  be 
ginning  to  beat  high  and  fast. 

Suddenly  he  came  back  and,  resting  on  one 
knee,  bent  over  beside  her. 

"  Did  you  mean  nothing  of  that  ?  Noth- 
ing?" 

"  Nothing ;  why  should  you  be  silly  enough 
to  suppose " 

"  I  did  suppose  for  a  moment." 

"  Jim,  you  are  not  pretending  to  court  me, 
are  you  ?  " 

"  Not  pretending.  .  .  .  No,  I'm  not  doing 
it.  ...  How  can  a  beggar  think  of  such  a 
thing  as  courtship?" 

"  Beggars  court  most  ardently — sometimes," 
she  said,  laughing  tremulously.  "  But  it's  not 
hearts  they  usually  court." 

He  knelt  there,  thinking  a  moment,  head 
bent.  Then  he  looked  up  at  her. 

"  I  have  no  reason  to  believe  that  you  care 
for  me,"  he  said — "  more  than  for  any  other 
man,  I  mean." 

"  You  have  no  reason  to  believe  so,"  she  re 
peated,  now  thoroughly  alarmed  at  what  she'd 

183 


Japonette 


done ;  and  yet  it  was  what  she  had  deliberately 
set  out  to  do.  Her  breath  came  unevenly.  She 
strove  to  retain  her  composure,  to  recover  the 
ground  he  seemed  to  have  gained. 

"  Jim,"  she  said,  "  you  are  too  easily  af 
fected  by  your  surroundings.  A  few  trees,  a 
summer  sky,  and  a  girl  are  destruction  to 
you." 

"  You  don't  think  that,"  he  said  quietly. 

"  I  do,  indeed.  Witness  my  fate,  and  the 
plight  of  Christine." 

He  said,  watching  her :  "  Do  you  suppose 
that  there  is  any  sentimentality  between 
Christine  Rivett  and  me  ?  " 

"  Oh,  Jim !  don't  shuffle " 

"  She  is  in  love  with  another  man,"  he  said. 

"  Nonsense !  "  But  a  strange  thrill  shot 
through  and  through  her,  and,  confused,  she 
bent  forward,  looking  him  straight  in  the  face. 

"  Diana !  Diana !  "  he  said  under  his  breath, 
"  did  you  care  ?  " 

"  I  ?  "  she  said,  reddening.  "  Jim,  I  am  not 
a  baby.  ...  I  thought — as  everybody  thought 
— but  it  was  of  no  consequence — except  that 
she  is  a  sweet  girl,  and  you  are  my  friend." 

She  recovered  herself  with  a  little  laugh — 
or  would  have,  had  his  hand  not  closed  on 
184 


Flos  Venerls 


hers.  She  gave  it  a  friendly  and  vigorous 
pressure,  and  attempted  to  drop  it;  but  he 
placed  the  other  hand  over  it,  inclosing  her 
slender  fingers,  which  frightened  her  into  pre 
tense  of  unconsciousness. 

Now  she  stood  on  the  threshold.  Now  she 
was  on  the  eve  of  that  daybreak  from  which 
she  had  prayed  that  the  shadows  might  flee 
away;  and  she  shrank  from  the  coming  light, 
afraid,  while  dawn  threatened  her  with  what, 
as  yet,  she  had  left  undone.  And  even 
through  the  confused  sense  of  expectancy  and 
consternation  ran  a  fierce  flame  of  happiness. 

Then,  unable  to  endure  it  longer,  she  flung 
the  mask  from  her,  facing  the  tempest  she  had 
sown. 

"  Let  me  go,  Jim,"  she  said  in  a  colorless 
voice. 

But  he  held  her  hand  closely  imprisoned, 
and  the  next  moment  her  body.  The  rapid 
racket  of  her  heart  seemed  to  stifle  her;  she 
tried  to  speak — lay  inert,  crushed  against  his 
shoulder,  dumb,  scarlet,  under  his  kiss. 

"  I  love  you,"  he  said ;  "  I've  always  loved 
you.  .  .  .  I'm  a  blackguard  to  say  it — penni 
less  nobody  that  I  am — without  much  chance 
to  be  anything  else,  apparently.  But  I  say  it 

185 


Japonette 


for  better  or  worse.  ...  I  love  you.  You 
like  me,  but  you  think  lightly  of  me.  .  .  . 
With  sufficient  reason,  God  knows.  .  .  .  And 
I  have  no  right  to  touch  you — no  right  in 
decency  or  law,  Diana." 

She  forced  herself  away  from  him,  but, 
somehow,  held  his  hands  clasped  convulsively 
in  hers. 

"  You — shouldn't  have  kissed  me,"  she  man 
aged  to  say.  "  You  mustn't  do  it  again — 
ever." 

He  laid  his  face  against  their  clasped  hands ; 
her  own  tightened. 

"  Nevertheless,"  he  said,  "  I  love  you." 

"  You  mustn't  speak  that  way — "  She 
dropped  her  flushed  face;  he  lifted  it,  and 
kissed  her  again. 

When  he  released  her,  she  leaned  back 
against  the  silver  birch,  head  lowered,  silent 
— and  did  not  move  her  hands  from  the  moss 
as  he  bent  and  kissed  them,  too. 

When  at  last  she  found  her  voice,  she  spoke 
so  low  that  he  bent  his  head  closer  to  listen. 

"  That  is  the  one  imprudence  I  have  never 

before  committed — contact  with  any  man.  .  .  . 

You  must  not  do  it  to  me  again.  ...  I  don't 

know  how  to  take  it.    I  cant  love  you.    You 

1 86 


Flos  Veneris 


know  that."  She  looked  up  at  him.  "  Don't 
you  know  it  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  he  said  stubbornly. 

"  You  do  know  that  I  can't ;  don't  you  ? 
And  that  you  cannot  really  love  me  ?  " 

"  I  suppose  it  ought  to  be  that  way ;  but  it 
isn't." 

And  now  the  moment  had  come  to  make 
her  desire  a  certainty — and  finish  what  she  had 
set  herself  to  do — for  this  man's  sake.  She 
said: 

"  You  can't  care  for  me,  Jim !  What  am 
I  anyway?  A  shallow,  pleasure-loving  no 
body,  who  sells  her  frivolous  social  gifts  be 
cause  it  is  pleasanter  and  easier  to  make  a  liv 
ing  that  way  than  to  exercise  a  decent 
profession.  How  can  such  a  man  as  you  really 
fall  in  love  with  such  a  woman  ?  " 

She  rose  to  her  feet  and  stood  leaning 
against  the  tree;  and  he  rose,  too,  releasing 
her  fingers. 

She  touched  her  hair,  passed  her  hands 
slowly  over  her  eyes,  let  them  fall  idly  by  her 
side ;  then,  after  a  moment,  looked  up  at  him, 
faintly  smiling. 

"Melodrama  is  no  use,  is  it?"  she  said. 
"  You  are  not  impressed  by  it;  I  can't  act  it. 


Japonette 


Life  is  less  serious  than  the  stage.  Shall  we 
come  back  together  along  the  road  to  yester 
day,  and  find  our  old,  safe  footing?  .  .  .  And 
— shall  I  forgive  you  what  you've  done  this 
summer  day  ?  " 

"  I  want  you  to  marry  me,"  he  said  between 
compressed  lips.  "  I'll  make  good,  yet." 

"  What !  "  she  exclaimed  in  apparent  amaze 
ment.  "You!" 

"  Will  you  marry  me  ?  " 

How  she  forced  the  light  laughter  she  never 
understood ;  and  she  saw  her  gayety  bring  the 
blood  to  his  face  like  a  whip  lash. 

"  Marry !  No,  I  won't  marry  you,"  she 
laughed.  "  Mercy  on  the  man !  Does  he  sup 
pose  I  wish  to  marry  a  professional  enter 
tainer? — a  generally  useful  gentleman — a  big, 
strong,  healthy,  well-built,  intelligent  fellow, 
too  indolent  to  rouse  himself  and  make  a  re 
spectable  living? — too  self-indulgent  to  start 
in  a  manly  career  and  fight  the  world — take  it 
by  the  throat  and  shake  a  decent  living  out  of 
its  sinful  old  pockets  ?  " 

A  deeper  flush  of  astonishment  and  morti 
fication  swept  his  face,  settling  to  the  roots  of 
his  hair. 

She  did  not  seem  to  notice  it  or  his  silence. 
1 88 


Flos  Veneris 


"  Nonsense,"  she  laughed ;  "  a  girl,  with  any 
humor,  simply  couldn't  love  such  a  man,  even 
if  she  wanted  to,  Jim.  Because,  how  can  she 
respect  him?  .  .  .  You're  a  dear,  generous 
fellow — nice  to  everybody,  perfectly  sweet  to 
Silvette  and  to  me,  and  I  do  like  you — even 
love  you,  in  a  certain  sense — and  I  didn't  really 
mind  being  kissed  any  more  than  as  though 
Silvette  had  done  it.  But  I'm  simply  not 
fashioned  to  lose  my  head  over  a  man  who  is 
hired  by  the  month  to  be  socially  pleasant." 
She  laughed  again,  and  laid  her  hand  care 
lessly  on  his  arm ;  and  under  her  touch  she  felt 
it  was  rigid  and  hard  as  iron. 

"  You  see,  don't  you  ?  "  she  said  sweetly. 
"  You're  not  grown  up  yet,  Jim.  It  takes 
more  than  you  yet  are  to  satisfy  me." 

He  managed  to  force  his  voice  out  of  his 
quivering  throat. 

"  You're  right,"  he  said.  "  I  didn't  know 
what  I  was  talking  about.  You  are  worth  try 
ing  for." 

They  turned  away  together ;  she  slipped  one 
hand  confidently  through  his  arm,  leaning  on 
him  lightly  as  they  walked. 

"  You're  not  hopelessly  offended,  are  you, 
Jim?" 

189 


Japonette 


"  No— good  God,  no." 

"  I'd  love  you  if  I  could,"  she  said  sooth 
ingly,  "  but  the  instincts  of  mating  with  any 
thing  resembling  servitude  are  wanting  in  me. 
Besides,  two  slaves  are  enough  for  one  fam 
ily — Silvette  and  I.  ...  You  are  not  hurt  or 
angry  at  my  very  horrid  frankness  ?  " 

"  No.  .  .  .  What  you  said  is  all  right."  He 
lifted  his  eyes  and  looked  his  punishment 
squarely  in  the  face ;  and  her  heart  failed  her, 
so  that  she  turned  her  head  swiftly,  the  tears 
stinging  her  throat. 

They  walked  soberly  on  through  the 
meadow  up  to  the  house.  She  gave  him  her 
hand  at  parting;  then  went  leisurely  to  her 
room  to  dress  for  dinner. 

And  Silvette  found  her  there  alone  on  her 
knees  beside  the  window,  partly  undressed,  her 
head  buried  in  her  arms,  the  brown  locks  clus 
tering  against  her  pale  and  tear-stained  face. 

"  Diana  !  "  she  exclaimed  softly.  "  What  is 
the  matter,  child  ?  " 

The  girl  got  up  wearily,  keeping  her  face 
out  of  the  flood  of  light  from  the  electric 
brackets. 

"  Nothing  much,"  she  said ;  "  I've  only  been 
very  horrid  to  Jim." 

190 


Flos  Veneris 


"  I  thought  you  were  going  to  be  kinder," 
said  Silvette,  astonished. 

"  I  have  been ;  but  he  doesn't  know  it." 

Her  sister  stood  silent,  looking  at  her  with 
sorrowful  eyes. 

"  Don't  sympathize  with  me ;  I — I  can't  bear 
it,  Silvie." 

"  No — if  you  don't  wish  it,  dear.  .  .  .  Shall 
I  fix  your  bath  ?  .  .  .  And — ivho  do  you  sup 
pose  is  downstairs  ?  " 

Diana  looked  up  inquiringly. 

"The  man  you  flirted  with  so  outrageously 
at  Keno!" 

"  Which  ?  "  asked  Diana  naively. 

"  Billy  Inwood  !  " 

Diana  brightened  a  little. 

"  At  least,"  she  said  with  sad  satisfaction, 
"  I  can  occupy  my  mind  with  him  for  a  while. 
He  got  away  before  he  was  thoroughly  dis 
ciplined.  7  believe  there  was  another  girl 
somewhere.  ...  I  think  I'll  obliterate  her — 
unless  I  approve  of  her.  There's  the  making 
of  a  man  in  that  boy,  Silvette." 

But  she  decided  otherwise  a  few  moments 
before  dinner  was  announced,  when  Inwood 
made  his  appearance  in  the  drawing-room  and 
greeted  his  hostess.  Then,  catching  sight  of 

193 


Japoncttc 


her,   he  came   hastily  toward  her   with   both 
hands  outstretched. 

"  Diana !  "  he  exclaimed ;  "  isn't  this  jolly ! 
I'm  terribly  glad  to  see  you  again.  .  .  And 

Silvette!     Oh,  this  is  simply  too  delightful! 
j " 

Speech  stopped,  perhaps  froze  on  his  lips; 
then  he  turned  fiery  red  as  he  stepped  for 
ward  to  greet  Mrs.  Wemyss.  A  year  ago  she 
had  been  a  comparatively  slim  and  pretty 
divorcee ;  to-day  even  the  embarrassing  opu 
lence  and  prodigality  of  her  charms  had  not 
altered  the  doll-like  perfection  of  her  features. 
He  knew  her  instantly,  and,  in  his  brain,  chaos 
menaced  him. 

"  How  do  you  do,"  he  said ;  "  this  is  most 
delightful  and  surprising.  Lilly — : — " 

"  Charming,"  murmured  Mrs.  Wemyss ; 
and,  under  her  smile,  she  lowered  her  voice : 
"  I'm  Lilly  Wemyss ;  I've  taken  my  maiden 
name.  Don't  forget,  and  call  me  Mrs.  Ather- 
stane." 

He  nodded,  the  fixed  smile  imprinted  on  his 
features ;  and  it  remained  there  as  they  stood 
in  conversation  until  dinner  was  announced. 

He  took  in  Christine.  The  girl's  arm  rested 
lightly  as  a  feather  on  his  sleeve.  During  din- 
194 


Flos  Veneris 


ner  she  talked  to  him  pleasantly,  but  without 
animation;  and,  somehow,  all  seemed  to  go 
wrong  with  him,  for  he  found  scarcely  any 
thing  to  say  to  Christine — anything  that -was 
not  trite  and  banal.  And  his  haunted  eyes 
reverted  again  and  again  to  Mrs.  Wemyss. 
"  Oh,  Lord !  "  he  thought,  "  what  a  horrible 

mess;  and  is  Lilly  going  to  expect  me  to — 
, »> 

But  his  scared  wits  could  speculate  no  far 
ther,  and  he  sat  beside  Christine,  worried,  un 
happy,  penitent,  too  miserable  to  enjoy  the 
moment  to  which  he  had  looked  forward  so 
impetuously  all  day  long — a  moment  which, 
two  days  ago,  he  dared  not  believe  would  ever 
again  come  into  his  life. 


CHAPTER   VIII 

MILLE    MODI   VENERIS 

*  J  |*  NUMBER  of  matters  had  been 
rj,  B  m  slightly  disturbing  Colonel  Cur- 
mew's  intellect  and  digestion.  One  thing,  he 
had  lost  money  at  cards — a  thing  he  hated  as 
heartily  as  Judge  Wicklow  hated  it.  Another 
matter — Jack  Rivett  had  fairly  driven  him  out 
of  Silvette's  vicinity.  True,  an  easily  trans 
ferred  devotion  to  her  sister  already  consoled 
him;  the  one  was  as  ornamental  as  the  other, 
but  he  liked  young  Rivett  no  better. 

He  desired  to  ingratiate  himself  with  Jack 
because  the  boy  had  never  liked  him,  and  he 
neither  understood  why  nor  became  reconciled 
to  it;  and  he  was  always  making  advances 
and  assuming,  under  the  jocular  familiarity  of 
an  older  man,  that  there  existed  between  him 
self  and  Jack  a  delightful  and  cordial  under 
standing,  which  Jack  coolly  ignored;  and  the 
colonel  disliked  him  the  more. 
196 


Mille  Modi  Veneris 


Then,  there  was  another  matter  which  oc 
cupied  him — had  occupied  him,  now,  for  sev 
eral  years.  He  meant  to  marry  Christine 
Rivett  some  day.  For  the  present  he  was  satis 
fied  to  treat  her  with  the  same  jovial  famil 
iarity  with  which  he  treated  her  brother;  and 
now  it  seemed  to  him  that  Christine,  whom 
he  feared  might  become  too  much  interested 
in  Edgerton,  was  veering  toward  this  young 
In  wood  fellow  who  had  just  arrived. 

Colonel  Curmew  was  not  actually  alarmed; 
he  was  merely  bored,  and  now  and  then  a  trifle 
uneasy,  because  he  had  to  take  this  and  other 
matters  into  his  calculations  in  being  attentive 
to  Diana  Tennant. 

No,  he  was  not  worried.  He  Lad  become 
cheerfully  convinced  that  both  these  matters 
could  be  properly  attended  to.  Let  Christine 
have  her  fling  and  grow  up.  Her  fortune  kept 
pace  with  her,  anyway. 

But  about  Diana  Tennant  he  had  not  yet 
entirely  made  up  his  mind — and  yet  he  had 
made  it  up,  too,  after  a  fashion. 

There   were,   including  Diana's   youth   and 

beauty,  several  things  about  her  which  were 

likely  to  attract  the  attei.tion  of  such  a  man 

as  Follis  Curmew.     First  of  all,  she  was  poor. 

14  197 


Japonette 


Also,  she  was  self-supporting  and  alone  in  the 
world  except  for  a  similarly  situated  sister 
who  didn't  count,  and  a  very  distant  relative 
who  didn't  really  count,  either. 

She  was  beautiful  and  clever ;  men  appreci 
ate  such  women.  Such  women,  he  also  be 
lieved,  deeply  appreciated  the  kind  of  things 
they  could  not  afford.  .  .  .  And,  furthermore, 
he  did  not  hesitate  to  believe  that  such  women 
were  perfectly  capable  of  appreciating  middle- 
aged  military  gentlemen  of  discretion,  fortune, 
and  liberality  in  reason. 

So  he  contrived  to  get  as  close  to  Diana  as 
he  could  on  all  occasions;  and  very  often,  to 
her  surprise,  she  found  him  at  her  heels  or 
seated  unnaturally  near  her,  pale  eyes  slightly 
protruding,  his  curling  mustache  and  little 
side  whiskers  faintly  redolent  of  brilliantine. 

Amused,  and  not  yet  uneasy,  she  mentioned 
his  assiduity  to  her  sister,  and  thought  nothing 
further  of  it;  nor  did  Silvette,  preoccupied 
with  an  episode  of  her  own  which  threatened 
to  become  something  approaching  a  problem. 

Instinct  told  her  that  Jack  Rivett  preferred 
her  to  anybody  at  Adriutha;  and  she  liked 
him  well  enough  to  find  his  attention  agree 
able.  But  little  by  little  it  became  more 
198 


"Glancing  up,  she  beheld  Jack  Rivett." 


Mille  Modi  Veneris 


marked — to  her,  if  not  to  others — and  she  ex 
perienced  a  slight  uneasiness  concerning  this 
very  rich  and  idle  only  son,  the  ambition  of 
whose  father  had  now  become  plain  to  her. 

So  Silvette  at  first  very  pleasantly  discour 
aged  him,  and  kept  out  of  tete-a-tetes  as 
much  as  possible,  in  which  maneuvers  she 
was  not  very  successful.  For  the  girl  found 
in  this  lazy,  witty,  good-humored,  self-in 
dulgent  young  fellow  a  cool  and  confident  ad 
versary — resistless  because  of  his  charming 
manner  toward  her  and  his  unvarying  cheer 
fulness  under  rebuffs  which  were  becoming 
more  frequent  and  more  severe — and,  alas, 
more  useless. 

About  a  week  after  Inwood's  arrival,  while 
writing  a  letter  in  the  rose-garden  pavilion,  a 
shadow  checkered  the  lattice  work  and  fell 
across  her  note  paper;  and,  glancing  up,  she 
beheld  Jack  Rivett,  hands  in  his  coat  pockets, 
the  breeze  ruffling  his  blond  hair. 

"  I'm  writing,"  she  said,  annoyed. 

"  I'll  sit  down  on  the  sundial,"  he  rejoined 
with  a  bow  and  a  smile  as  though  accepting 
a  delightful  invitation. 

"  But  I'll  be  writing  about  two  hours,"  she 
observed  coldly. 

20 1 


Japonette 


"  Writing  about  two  hours  ?  "  he  repeated. 
"  But  why  write  about  hours  at  all,  dear  lady. 
An  hour  is  an  arbitrary  division  of  time,  in 
teresting  only  to  the  unhappy." 

"  Very  witty,"  she  said.  "  Go  and  scratch 
it  on  the  sundial." 

And  she  resumed  her  letter,  trying  not  to 
be  aware  of  the  blond  young  man  seated  just 
outside  the  summer  house,  where  the  sun 
gilded  his  hair  and  the  wind  mussed  it  into  a 
most  becoming  mop. 

Several  times  she  bit  the  pearl  tip  of  her 
penholder,  frowning;  but  he  always  seemed 
to  catch  her  eye  at  such  moments,  and  her 
deepening  frown  only  produced  on  his  face  an 
expression  which  was  so  very  humble  that  it 
became  almost  mischievous. 

"Jack!" 

He  hurriedly  rose,  and  looked  all  around 
him  among  the  roses  as  though  eagerly  search 
ing  for  the  person  who  had  called  him. 

"Jack!"  she  repeated  emphatically. 

He  pretended  to  discover  her  for  the  first 
time,  and  hurried  joyously  to  the  lattice  door. 

"  Jack — you  perfect  idiot !    I  want  to  write, 
and  I  simply  can't,  with  you  sitting  around  in 
that  martyred  manner." 
202 


Mille  Modi  Veneris 


"How  far  away  shall  I  retire?"  he  in 
quired,  so  sad  and  crestfallen,  that  between 
amusement  and  annoyance  she  did  not  reply, 
but  merely  sat  tapping  with  her  pen  and  in 
specting  her  letter. 

As  she  did  not  speak  again,  very  cautiously 
— and  holding  up  one  hand  as  an  unwelcome 
dog  holds  up  one  beseeching  paw  to  ward  off 
calamity — he  ventured  to  seat  himself  on  a 
bench  outside  the  summer  house. 

She  was  perfectly  aware  of  the  inim 
itable  pantomime,  and  a  violent  desire  to 
laugh  seized  her,  but  she  only  bit  her  lip 
and  resolutely  dipped  her  pen  into  the  ink 
once  more. 

She  wrote  obstinately,  knowing  all  the  while 
that  she'd  have  to  rewrite  it.  His  excessive 
stillness  began  to  get  on  her  nerves ;  and,  after 
a  quarter  of  an  hour's  preternatural  silence, 
she  could  endure  it  no  longer. 

"  Jack !  " 

"  Dear  lady  ?  "  he  replied  patiently. 

"  Why  don't  you  say  something?" 

"  I  was  forbidden  the  exquisite  consolation 
of  noise." 

"  It's  horribly  hot  and  still  out  here.    Why 
don't  the  birds  sing?" 
203 


Japonettc 


"  They're  moulting,  dear  lady.  All  their 
little  pin  feathers  have  become  unfastened, 
and  their  bills  are  probably  full  of  pins  while 
they  make  themselves  tidy  again." 

"  So  that  is  why  they  don't  sing  in  July?  " 
she  said. 

"  That  is  why,"  he  explained  seriously. 

"Well,  then,  why  don't  you  sing?  You 
are  not  untidy." 

"  Nothing  could  suit  my  pensive  and  melan 
choly  mood  better,"  he  said  sadly. 

A  moment  later,  sitting  outside  her  door, 
he  began  with  deep  emotion  to  sing  one  of 
Kirk's  melting  melodies : 

"  With  head  bowed  low  a  dentist  stood 

Before  his  office  chair; 
A  handsome  lady  customer 

Into  his  eyes  did  stare. 
He  tried  to  fake  a  careless  smile 

And  hide  his  drooping  jaw, 
But  all  in  vain  because  his  guilt 

Was  plainly  to  be  saw. 
His  voice  was  choked  with  shame  and  fear, 

He  said,  '  F&rgive  me,  miss!' 
But  when  he  begged  her  pardon  there 

The  lady  then  did  hiss: 
204 


Mille  Modi  Veneris 


Chorus. 
" '  Take  back  them  teeth  you  made  me!    I 

Wont  wear  them  in  my  face! 
Go  hang  them  in  your  parlor  as 

A  badge  of  your  disgrace. 
You  swore  them  crowns  was  solid  gold! 

You're  false — like  teeth  and  men! 
Take  back  them  teeth,  you  lobster! 

Never  speak  to  me  again! 
Take  back — take  ba-ack — take  ba-a-a '" 

"  Jack !  "  she  exclaimed,  "  that  is  the  most 
— most  degraded  thing  I  ever  heard  you  ut 
ter  !  " 

"  I'm  accustoming  you,  by  degrees,  to  my 
repertoire.  With  infinite  precautions  you 
will,  in  time,  be  able  to  endure  much  worse 
than  this,"  he  explained  kindly.  "  Now,  what 
shall  we  try  next,  dear  lady?  I  have  a  little 
song  called :  '  Only  a  pint  of  shoe  strings ! ' : 

"  Don't  you  dare  attempt  it !  ...  Jack, 
please  go  away.  Won't  you,  when  I  ask  it?  " 

"  She  mutters  the  unthinkable,"  he  said, 
shaking  his  head.  "  My  music  has  unseated 
her  reason.  By  and  by  she  will  begin  to  moan 
and  revive." 

"  It's  perfectly  outrageous,"  she  said,  tear- 
205 


Japonette 


ing  up  what  she  had  written,  and  moving  aside 
a  little  so  that  sufficient  space  remained  for 
— her  sister,  perhaps.  So  he  entered  the  sum 
mer  house  and  waited  for  an  invitation,  bland, 
cheerful,  irresistible. 

"  I  had  no  idea  I  was  so  pitiably  weak- 
minded,"  she  said. 

He  accepted  the  avowal  as  his  invitation, 
and  seated  himself. 

"  Silvette,"  he  said  genially,  "  what  are  we 
going  to  do  to-day  ?  " 

"Who?" 

"  Why,  you  and  I.  Who  cares  what  the 
others  do  in  this  mad  world,  dear  lady  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know  about  the  world,"  she  said, 
"  but  there's  one  girl  in  it  who  is  mad ;  and 
she's  going  to  her  room  to  write  letters." 

"When?" 

"  Now !  " 

"  Don't." 

"  Indeed,  I  shall !  " 

"  Shall,  or  will  ?  "  he  inquired,  guilelessly. 
"  People  mix  up  those  two  auxiliaries  so  per 
sistently  that  there's  no  telling  what  anybody 
really  means  in  these  days." 

She  considered  a  moment,  then  turned  and 
looked  at  him. 

206 


Mille  Modi  Veneris 


"  Jack,"  she  said  sweetly,  "  don't  follow  me 
about?" 

"I?  Follow  you!  That's  more  madness, 
dear  lady.  Who  on  earth  ever  whispered  to 
you  that  I  could  ever  do  such  a " 

"Won't  you  be  serious,  please?" 

Her  pretty,  dark  eyes  were  serious  enough, 
even  appealing.  He  became  solemn  at  once. 

"  You  have  forced  me  to  say  this,"  she 
ventured.  "  I  didn't  wish  to ;  I  thought  you'd 
understand,  but  you  don't  seem  to.  So  I  am 
compelled  to  say  to  you  that — it  is — better 
taste  for  you  to — not  to " 

She  hesitated,  glanced  up  at  him,  colored 
brightly. 

"  You  know  perfectly  well  what  I  mean! 
And  there  you  sit,  letting  me  try  to  tell  you  as 
nicely  as  I  can " 

"  About  what,  dear  lady  ?  " 

"  About  you  and  me !  "  she  said,  incensed. 
"  You  know  perfectly  well  that  I've  been 
obliged  to  avoid  being  alone  with  you." 

"Why?" 

"  Because,"  she  said,  intensely  annoyed,  "  I 
am  employed  by  your  parents,  and  you  are 
an  only  son  of  Mr.  Jacob  Rivett.  ...  Is  that 
unmistakable  ?  " 

207 


Japonette 


He  said  nothing. 

She  went  on :  "  You  know  I  like  you,  Jack. 
You  seem  to  like  me.  If  you  do,  you'll  un 
derstand  that  this — this  continually  seeking 
me  out,  separating  me  from  the  others,  isn't 
fair  to  me.  .  .  .  I'm  trying  not  to  talk  non 
sense  about  it.  I  know  you  mean  nothing  but 
kindness ;  but  it  .isn't  wise,  and  it  is  not  agree 
able,  either.  So  let  us  enjoy  our  very  delight 
ful  friendship  as  freely  among  others  as  we 
do  when  alone  together — "  She  stopped 
abruptly,  blushed  to  her  hair,  furious  at  her 
self,  astonished  that  her  tongue  could  have 
blundered  so.  The  next  instant  she  under 
stood  that  he  was  too  decent  to  notice  her 
blunder.  Indeed,  to  look  at  him,  she  almost 
persuaded  herself  that  he  had  not  even  heard 
her  speak,  so  coolly  remote  were  his  eyes,  so 
preoccupied  his  air  as  he  sat  facing  the  far 
hills,  blue  in  the  July  haze. 

Presently  he  looked  up  at  her. 

"  What  was  it  you  were  lecturing  me 
about?"  he  asked  cheerfully. 

"  About  our  twosing,  Jack." 

"  Did  you  say  you  did  prefer  it,  or  other 
wise?  " 

"  Otherwise — you  monkey !  "  she  said, 
208 


Mille  Modi  Veneris 


laughing,  free  of  the  restraint  and  of  the 
bright  color  that  had  made  even  her  neck 
hot. 

"  Very  well,"  he  said  briskly ;  "  keep  your 
distance !  Don't  start  running  after  me  the 
moment  I  come  in  sight  across  the  landscape. 
Will  you  promise  ?  " 

"  I  promise,"  she  said  solemnly. 

"  Thank  you.  I  shall  have  a  little  leisure 
now.  I'll  have  so  much  I  won't  know  what 
to  do  with  it.  Can  you  advise  me  ?  " 

"  I  cannot." 

"  Then  I'll  have  to  think  for  myself.  .  .  . 
I'll  have  to  do  something,  of  course.  .  .  . 
Suppose  you  and  I  take  a  canoe " 

"  Canoes  hold  only  two,  Jack." 

"  By  Jove  !  What  am  I  thinking  of !  Thank 
you  for  saving  me  from  incredible  suffering. 
...  So  suppose  we  don't  take  a  canoe,  you 
and  I,  but  we  take  the  red  runabout?" 

"  Jack !  " 

"What?" 

"  The  red  runabout  holds  two,  only." 

"  I   must   be   demented !  "   he   said   with   a 

shudder.  .  .  .  "  Silvette,  I'll  tell  you  what  we'll 

do — we'll  take  a  walk,  you  and   I.     There's 

room    all    around    us    for    millions    of    other 

209 


Japonette 


people.  They  can  come  if  they  like;  if  they 
don't,  why,  it's  up  to  them !  " 

"  No,  Jack." 

"Won't  it  do?" 

"  No.  Why  won't  you  be  a  little  bit  serious 
about  a  matter  that,  after  all,  concerns  me  very 
nearly." 

"  I  am  serious,"  he  said.  "  It  concerns  me, 
too." 

"  No,  it  doesn't." 

"  Indeed,  it  does.  Two  people  are  not  to 
go  twosing  any  more ;  I'm  one  of  those  people. 
Therefore,  it  concerns  me,  doesn't  it?" 

She  looked  at  him,  confused,  half  smiling, 
half  reluctant. 

"  Don't  you  know,"  she  said,  "  that  your 
attention  to  me  is  worrying  your  father  and 
mother?" 

He  thought  a  moment,  then  slowly  turned 
toward  her  a  sober  and  youthful  face,  from 
which  all  humor  had  departed  ;  and  she  looked 
back  at  him  out  of  grave  young  eyes  that  met 
his  very  sweetly,  but  inexorably. 

"  Do  you  mean  it,  Silvette  ?  " 

"About  your  parents?" 

"Yes." 

"Yes,  I  do,  Jack." 

2IO 


Mille  Modi  Veneris 


He  said,  partly  to  himself :  "  I  had  not 
noticed  it." 

"  I  have.  It's  a  woman's  business  to  notice 
such  things.  Otherwise,  she'll  find  herself  in 
trouble.  .  .  .  Inclination  is  a  silly  guide, 
Jack." 

"Forme?" 

"  For — us  both.  ...  I  will  be  frank  with 
you  all  the  way  through.  I  do  like  you.  I 
enjoy  our  tete-a-tetes.  They  are  perfectly 
honest  and  harmless,  and  without  significance 
— the  significance,  alas,  that  others  will  surely 
attach  to  them.  ...  It  isn't  that  there's  any 
thing  wrong  with  you  and  me,  Jack.  .  .  .  It's 
the  World  that  is  wrong.  .  .  .  But — it's  the 
World;  and  you  and  I  must  conform  to  its 
prejudices  as  long  as  we  inhabit  it — at  least  / 
must." 

"  I  suppose  you  must,"  he  said.  Then,  lean 
ing  a  little  nearer,  he  took  her  hand,  held  it 
lightly  across  his  palm,  looked  at  it  a  mo 
ment,  then  at  her. 

"  Will  you  let  me  tell  father  and  mother 
that  I  am  in  love  with  you,  and  wish  to  marry 
you  ?  "  he  said. 

"  Jack !  "  she  exclaimed  in  consternation. 

"Will  you  let  me?" 
211 


Japonette 


"  No,  I  won't !  .  .  .  Jack !  Don't  be  fool 
ish.  I  had  no  idea  you  had  arrived  as  far  as 
that.  I  had  no  reason  to  think  so — to  sup 
pose  for  one  moment — because  it  has  always 
been  the  j oiliest  and  most  unsentimental — and 
— you  never  even  touched  me  before." 

Her  color  brightened,  and  her  breath  came 
irregularly.  She  tried  to  laugh,  and  failed. 

"  You  know  perfectly  well  that  they  have 
other  ambitions  for  you." 

"  I  know.  .  .  .  How  is  it  with  you,  Sil- 
vette?" 

"  With  me  ?    What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  Could  you  care  for  me  ?  " 

"  1 — I  haven't  even  thought  about  such  a 
— I  haven't  really,  Jack.  You  know  that, 
don't  you  ?  You  must  try  to  look  back  on  our 
very  brief  friendship — try  to  recollect  how 
brief  it  has  been — try  to  remember — remem 
ber  how  happy  and  amusing  and  confident 
that  friendship  has  been— with  no  suspicion 
of  sentiment  to  embarrass  or  vex " 

"  I  know.  .  .  .  Isn't  there  any  hope  for 
me?" 

"Hope?  No.  .  .  .  Don't  put  it  that  way, 
Jack.  ...  I  don't  love  you.  ...  I  oughtn't 
to,  and,  thank  Heaven,  I  don't.  And  you  don't 
212 


Mille  Modi  Veneris 


really  love  me  —  you  dear,  sweet  fellow  !  It's 
just  part  of  your  niceness  —  your  generous  at 
titude  toward  a  girl  -  " 

"  I'm  in  love  with  you.  .  .  .  But  that 
mustn't  worry  you.  It  had  to  be.  You  need 
feel  no  self-reproach.  You  didn't  do  any 
thing  —  you  were  just  yourself  —  and  I  "  —  he 
laughed  a  little  —  "  started  in  to  love  you  as 
soon  as  I  saw  you.  .  .  .  I'm  glad  you  know  it, 
anyway.  We  won't  say  anything  more  about 


"Jack,  we  will!  Do  you  understand  that 
you  have  distressed  me  dreadfully?  Do  you 
realize  what  a  girl's  responsibilities  are  when  a 
nice  man  loves  her?  Do  you  think  she  can 
merely  shrug  her  shoulders  and  go  about  her 
daily  frivolities  without  another  thought?" 

She  rose  to  her  feet,  looking  at  him  ear 
nestly. 

"Oh,  Jack!  Jack!"  she  said,  nervously 
clasping  and  unclasping  her  hands;  "  why  did 
you  do  this  ?  Why  did  you  ?  " 

He  forced  a  laugh.  "  I  won't  do  it  again 
—  ever,"  he  said.  "  Promise  you  never  to  fall- 
in-love-again-hope-I-may-die'n-cross  m'heart." 

Rut  there  were  no  smiles  left  in  her  now. 

"If  you  don't  behave,"  he  threatened,  "  I'll 
15  213 


Japonette 


lock  us  both  inside  and  sing  songs  to  you !  " 
.  .  .  But  the  smile  died  out  on  his  face.  "  I 
was  a  gink  to  tell  you.  Don't  feel  unhappy 
about  it,"  again  the  engaging  humor  glimmered 
in  his  eyes.  "  Cheer  up,  Silvette ;  you  may  fall 
in  love  with  me  yet !  " 

She  looked  up,  the  smile  dawning,  dis 
tressed,  yet  sweet. 

"  Don't  let  me,  Jack.  .  .  .  Because  I'm  all 
right,  so  far.  .  .  .  And  you  know  what  your 
father  wishes  for  you.  I  want  to  deal  honor 
ably  by  him." 

"  All  right,"  he  said  quietly. 

They  walked  slowly  back  to  the  house  to 
gether,  and  the  girl  went  directly  to  her  room, 
where  she  found  her  sister  mending  stockings. 


CHAPTER    IX 

NON    SEQUITUR 

ILVETTE  dropped  into  an  armchair, 
crossed  her  knees,  and  sat  swinging  her 
toot  and  gazing  through  the  open  window  in 
silence  until  Diana's  head,  lifted  from  time  to 
time  in  smiling  interrogation,  could  be  no 
longer  ignored. 

"  Jack  Rivett  has  asked  me  to  marry  him," 
she  said  in  an  expressionless  voice. 

Diana  laughed  in  frank  surprise: 

"That  infant!" 

"  Yes." 

"  What  an  absurdity  !  " 

Her  sister  said  nothing. 

"  How  did  it  come — out  of  a  clear  sky?" 

"  Yes.  ...  I  knew  he  liked  me.     I  had  no 
idea  he  wanted  to  marry  me." 

"  You're  not  going  to,  are  you  ?  " 

"  No." 

"  I   should  think  not.     It  would  be   sheer 
cradle  snatching." 

215 


Japonette 


"  He's  a  year  older  than  I  am." 

"  In  years,  yes ;  but,  intellectually,  he  ought 
to  be  playing  marbles.  Moreover,  that  sort 
of  a  boy  never  grows  up." 

"  I  don't  think  he  will.  .  .  .  God  bestows 
that  gift  sometimes." 

"What  gift?" 

"  The  gift  of  eternal  youth.  ...  I  haven't 
it.  ...  But  I  believe  it  can  be  shared."  She 
gazed  thoughtfully  at  the  distant  hills. 
"  Years  and  years  slip  from  me  when  that 
boy  and  I  talk  nonsense  together." 

"  Better  talk  sense  with  him,  and  wake  up, 
sweetness,  or  you'll  relapse  into  your  second 
childhood." 

"  I  have  just  been  talking  sense  to  him.  .  .  . 
I'm  awake,"  she  said  dreamily. 

"  Do  you  mean  to  admit  that  the  interview 
has  seriously  affected  you?" 

"  Oh,  I  don't  know  yet." 

"  Better  investigate/'  said  Diana.  "  You 
know  what  his  parents  expect  of  their  chil 
dren.  And  if  we  are  to  remain  here,  I  think, 
dear,  that  you  had  better  see  a  little  less  of 
Jack  Rivett  than  you  have  been  seeing.  Don't 
you  ? " 

"  I  am  sure  of  it." 

216 


"  Non  Sequitur 


"  Otherwise,"  continued  Diana  calmly,  "  it 
would  be  playing  the  game  fairer  for  you  and 
me  to  seek  another  business  engagement. 
These  people  have  been  very  honorable  toward 
us.  We  can  scarcely  permit  them  to  outdo 
us." 

Silvette  looked  up  calmly,  her  cheek  rest 
ing  on  her  hand. 

"  How  dishonorable  would  it  be  ? "  she 
asked. 

"What?" 

"  To — let  him  fall  in  love  with  me  ?  " 

"  Ask  yourself.  You  know  their  social  am 
bitions." 

"  I  know ;  but,  after  all,  you  and  I  started 
out  to  make  of  life  a  successful  business  prop 
osition.  I  thought  a  desirable  marriage  was 
to  be  part  of  the  programme." 

"Do  you  consider  Jack  Rivett  desirable? 
He  could  take  you  nowhere.  With  all  his 
wealth,  where  could  you  take  him  ?  And  any 
way,  it's  not  playing  the  game,  Silvie.  It's 
kidnaping."  She  laughed.  "  Take  a  man  of 
your  size — and  of  the  world,  little  sister;  and 
if  he  isn't  of  the  world,  and  is  poor,  defy  him 
to  take  you! — give  him  battle — put  up  a  good 
fight  with  foot,  horse,  and  artillery.  The  best 
217 


Japonette 


one  of  you  will  always  win,  and  the  other  get 
what's  coming." 

Silvette  went  to  the  desk,  supplied  herself 
with  pen  and  paper,  and  prepared  to  resume 
her  interrupted  correspondence.  Presently 
she  looked  around,  pen  poised. 

"  Did  the  best  man  win  between  you  and 
Jim  Edgerton?"  she  asked. 

Diana  bent  lower  over  her  sewing. 

"  I'm  afraid  so,  Silvie." 

"  Then  you  won." 

"  I  think  so.  ...  I  have  fought  it  over 
every  day  since — alone." 

"  You  poor  little  thing,"  said  Silvette  softly. 

Diana  looked  up  with  a  slight  smile.  "  Per 
haps  you  misunderstood  me,  dear.  I  told  you 
I  was  winning.  .  .  .  Which  means,  I  think, 
that  Jim  Edgerton  isn't  going  to  remain  very 
long  at  Adriutha." 

"Where  is  he  going?" 

"  I  don't  know  that  he  is  going  at  all ;  he 
doesn't  know  it,  either.  .  .  .  But,  somehow, 
I  dare  believe  that  he  is  going." 

"Where?" 

"  Into  a  man's  world  to  engage  in  a  man's 
business." 

"  It  isn't  in  him,  Diana.  .  .  .  You  are  tak- 
218 


Non  Sequitur 


ing  a  great  responsibility  on  your  shoulders. 
Do  you  realize  that  you  are  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  And  that  a  man  with  no  more  force  of 
character  and  real  ability  than  he  has  may 
starve?  That  the  world  will  probably  break 
his  heart,  anyway." 

"  Let  it,  then.  .  .  .  Only  a  real  man's  heart 
breaks.  I'll  know  he's  one  if  it  does;  and  so 
will  he.  And  that's  worth  all  the  rest." 

"  That's  a  stern  creed,  little  sister,  con 
sidering  the  pleasure-loving  lips  that  utter 
it." 

"  Out  of  the  mouth  of  fools,  wisdom.  It 
doesn't  matter  what  I  am.  The  thing  that  is 
important  is  what  he  shall  become." 

"  If  he  become  what  you  desire,  he  may 
have  little  further  interest  in  you." 

"  He  will  have  none,  if  he  becomes  what 
he  could  become,"  said  the  girl  steadily.  "  Did 
you  suppose  my — ambition  for  him  was 
selfish?" 

"  Little  breaker  of  images,  are  you  going  to 
shatter  your  own  under  his  very  eyes?" 

"  He  will  be  the  iconoclast  some  day.  .  .  . 
Probably  I'll  be  married  before  that — as  soon, 
anyway,  as  it's  best  for  him.  .  .  .  I've  plenty 
221 


Japonctte 


of  time."  .  .  .  She  smiled  without  a  trace  of 
mirth  in  her  eyes.  "  Mr.  Snaith  has  already 
indicated  his  noiseless  entry  into  the  lists.  He 
and  Colonel  Curmew  are  at  lance  points.  Ma 
terially  speaking,  a  girl  ought  to  consider  both 
of  them." 

"  But,  child,  we  have  many  another  busi 
ness  engagement  before  us  yet,  I  trust.  .  .  . 
You  wouldn't  think  of  taking  the  first — the 
first— 

"  Million  offered  ?  "  asked  Diana,  laughing. 
"  Xo,  of  course  not,  silly.  I'm  merely  ob 
serving  the  manners  and  customs  of  the 
creature  man." 

Silvette  laughed,  too.  "  How  are  you  get 
ting  on  with  Billy  Inwood  ?  "  she  asked  de 
murely — "  speaking  of  more  agreeable  mat 
ters." 

"  Perfectly ;  after  the  initial  shock  at  en 
countering  me  here,  he  behaved  most  reason 
ably.  /  have  an  idea  that  he  came  here  on 
Christine's  account,  and  he  seemed  to  be 
rather  nervous  as  to  his  obligations  to  me, 
but  I  set  that  right  at  the'  first  opportunity. 
I  said:  'Billy,  if  I  don't  tell  you,  somebody 
else  will,  that  Silvette  and  I  are  here  prac 
ticing  our  profession,  which  is — to  be  amiable 

222 


Non  Sequitur 


to  the  guests  and  help  entertain  them.  So 
I'm  going  to  be  just  as  amiable  to  you  as  I 
know  how,  but  it  need  not  frighten  you  be 
cause  I  have  no  designs  on  you.'  ': 

They  both  laughed.  Diana,  mending  her 
stocking,  continued : 

"  I  think  he  was  very  much  relieved,  though 
he  pretended  not  to  be.  I  wonder  if  he  did 
come  here  to  see  Christine?  The  girl  is  cool 
enough  with  him,  and  he  is  inclined  to  follow 
her  about  in  an  aimless  sort  of  way,  as  though 
he  had  something  on  his  mind." 

"  He  seems  to  be  equally  attentive  to 
Christine  and  Mrs.  Wemyss,"  observed  Sil- 
vette.  "  It  appears  that  he  and  that  ample 
beauty  are  old  friends." 

"  Who  is  Mrs.  Wemyss,  anyway?  " 

Silvette  smiled.  "  I  asked  Mrs.  Rivett,  say 
ing  that  there  was  something  familiar  about 
Mrs.  Wemyss,  and  that  I  had  an  idea  I  had 
seen  her  somewhere;  but  Mrs.  Rivett  didn't 
know  who  she  was.  She  had  met  her  last 
winter  at  the  Plaza,  which  is  the  kind  of  thing 
one  might  have  expected — even  of  Mrs.  Riv 
ett,  who  is  as  dear  a  little  woman  as  ever 
wore  sapphires  at  breakfast.  .  .  .  What  a 
,  horrid,  cynical  thing  I'm  turning  into !  .  .  . 
223 


Japonette 


And  now  I'm  going  to  turn  into  an  imitation 
of  a  young  girl  dressing  for  luncheon. 
Heigho !  I  wish  other  people  were  what  they 
ought  to  be  and  I  were  what  I'd  like  to  be. 
The  world  would  wag  very  well,  then." 

Luncheon  was  the  usual  animated,  gossipy, 
and  amusing  function  that  Silvette  and  Diana 
and  Jack  Rivett  always  made  it,  and  at  which 
Colonel  Curmew  assiduously  assisted  accord 
ing  to  his  notions  of  jollity. 

Edgerton  for  the  last  week  or  so  had  re 
mained  rather  silent  among  the  others,  amiable 
and  nice  always  and  perfectly  receptive  when 
spoken  to,  but  not  volunteering  very  much,  and 
not,  according  to  Colonel  Curmew's  idea,  earn 
ing  his  salary.  However,  as  the  colonel  didn't 
like  him,  that  fact  may  have  colored  his  judg 
ment  when  he  spoke  to  Mr.  Rivett  about  it 
after  luncheon  in  the  privacy  of  that  silent 
man's  study. 

"  He's  turned  into  what  I  knew  he  was — a 
damned  snob !  "  said  the  colonel,  sitting  with 
widened  legs,  a  rich  cigar  tucked  in  under  his 
military  mustache,  and  furtively  loosening  the 
rear  buckle  of  his  white  waistcoat. 

"  He  doesn't  pay  for  his  keep,"  he  went  on. 
224 


Non  Sequitur 


"  What  use  to  you  is  a  man  who  sits  around 
looking  unapproachable  ?  " 

"  I  have  no  difficulty  in  approaching  him," 
observed  Mr.  Rivett. 

"  You  pay  him.  To  look  at  him,  one  would 
think  he  paid  you." 

"  He  pays  me  his  services." 

"Ah,  but  he  doesn't!  He's  off  with  that 
little  Diana  girl  half  the  time." 

"  That's  their  affair." 

"By  gad!  Is  it?  They're  both  here  on  a 
salary  if  it  comes  to  that,  Jake.  .  .  .  Say,  did 
it  ever  strike  you  as  funny — this  cousin  busi 
ness  he  puts  up  ?  " 

Mr.  Rivett's  burned-brown  eyes  fixed  them 
selves  on  the  jaunty  colonel. 

"How?" 

"  Oh,  nothing.  .  .  .  They're  rather  distant 
relatives,  that's  all.  .  .  .  Not  but  what  she 
seems  to  be  straight — as  far  as  I  know." 

"  What  does  anybody  else  know  about 
her?" 

"  Oh,  nothing — nothing,"  said  the  colonel, 
waving  his  cigar  and  heavy  seal  ring.  "  But 
it's  curious.  .  .  .  You  can't  really  say  a  word 
against  an  Edgerton,  rich  or  poor ;  but,  as  far 
as  I  can  see  the  girl  is  only  a  little  adventuress 
225 


Japonette 


looking  for  trouble.  .  .  .  She'll  probably  get 
it  some  day/'  he  added  with  a  tenor  laugh 
peculiarly  ungrateful  to  the  auditory  mechan 
ism  of  Mr.  Rivett. 

The  colonel  puffed  his  cigar  in  smiling  si 
lence  for  a  while;  then,  expelling  another 
laugh  and  a  large  volume  of  blue  smoke, 
slapped  his  knee,  straightened  his  tie  and 
v/aistcoat  and  shot  his  cuffs. 

"  She'll  be  all  right  to  take  about  town,  eh, 
Jake?"  he  said. 

Mr.  Rivett  said  nothing. 

"  Now,  there's  old  Parke  Ellingford,"  con 
tinued  the  colonel ;  "  he's  never  had  as  good 
looking  a  girl,  and,  b'gad !  I've  seen  'em  all 
— known  most  of  'em,"  he  added  with  a  leer. 
"  And  take  any  of  the  men  you  and  I  know 
— Wallowby,  Dankland,  and  that  hatchet- 
faced  Van  Wyne !  They've  never  had  any 
better-looking  girl  than  that  little  Diana." 

Mr.  Rivett  said  nothing. 

"  B'gad !  "  said  the  colonel,  with  a  laugh 
that  approached  the  falsetto,  "  if  she  doesn't 
cut  a  dash  in  town  this  winter,  I  miss  my 
guess." 

"Oh — are  you  to  be  in  town?"  inquired 
Mr.  Rivett. 

226 


'0 


Non  Sequitur 


"I?  No;  Palm  Beach/'  said  the  colonel 
hastily,  watching  the  other  out  of  his  pale  and 
protruding  eyes.  "  And  then — /  don't  go  in 
for  such  capers,"  he  explained  with  a  pained 
expression.  "  What  a  man  jokes  about,  he 
never  bothers  with." 

"I've  joked  many  a  man  out  of  half  a 
million,"  observed  Rivett  grimly. 

''That's  different.  ...  I'm  a  settled  citi 
zen."  He  looked  cautiously  at  Rivett,  hesi 
tated,  then  said  carelessly :  "  I  mean  to  marry, 
some  day." 

"Do  you?" 

"  I  do,  certainly.  .  .  .  And  I  flatter  myself 
that  the  woman  I  marry  will  receive  her 
equivalent,  sir." 

"Her  moral  equivalent?" 

"  Certainly.  Perhaps  not  her — ah — finan 
cial  equivalent."  He  looked  up  at  Rivett  to 
see  how  he  took  it.  Rivett  neither  took  it  nor 
rejected  it,  apparently,  and  the  colonel  probed 
further. 

"  I  expect  to  wait  a  year  or  two " 

"  Aren't  you  getting  on,  Follis  ?  " 

"  No,  sir,  I  am  not  getting  on !  "  said  the 
colonel  shortly.  "  I  am  forty-five.  No  man 
is  fit  to  marry  before  he's  forty-seven,  in  my 
16  229 


Japonette 


opinion.  At  that  age  he's  able  to  treat  his 
wife  intelligently.  Intelligence  is  what  a 
young  girl  most  deeply  appreciates  in  a  man." 

"  A — young  girl  ?  " 

"  I  prefer  a  youthful  wife.  Youth  is  sus 
ceptible  of  being  moulded.  I  propose  to  make 
a  perfect  specimen  of  womanhood  out  of  what 
ever  charming  and  adolescent  material  fortune 
bestows  upon  me."  The  colonel  slightly  lifted 
his  eyes  until  they  protruded  toward  the  ceil 
ing.  "  I  shall  consider  my  wife  as  a  sacred 
trust,  a  soul  for  which  I  am  responsible." 

"  Very  good  idea,"  said  Rivett  without  the 
slightest  trace  of  expression  on  his  face. 
"  Why  not  marry  the  little  Diana — and  mould 
her  into  the  ideal  ?  " 

"  Marry  her !  "  blurted  out  Curmew. 
"  What !  Marry  a  hired — a  paid — employee !  " 

His  countenance  became  crimson  and  con 
gested,  and  his  eyes  popped  and  popped. 

Rivett  rose.  "  My  wife  worked  in  her  un 
cle's  kitchen  when  I  married  her,"  he  said  in 
differently,  and  walked  out. 

On  the  stairway  he  joined  Diana,  also  de 
scending. 

"  Well,"  he  said,  looking  at  her  through  his 
round  glasses,  "  you  look  happy  enough." 
230 


Non  Sequitur 


"  I  am,  thank  you,"  said  the  girl,  smiling. 

"  Don't  thank  me  for  it,"  he  said  dryly. 

"  You're  to  be  thanked,  too,"  she  laughed 
— "  or  ought  to  be.  But  you  don't  like  it,  I 
know,  so  I  tell  your  wife  how  very  pleasant 
you  are  making  Adriutha  for  my  sister  and 
myself." 

"  Do  you  find  it  pleasant?  " 

"  Yes,  I  do." 

"Like  the  people?" 

They  had  halted  on  the  stairs. 

She  looked  up  at  him. 

"  Some  of  them  I  like,"  she  said  frankly. 

"Which?" 

"  That  is  bad  manners !  .  .  .  But  I  like  you 
and  your  wife  and  Christine  and  Jack." 

"All  of  us?" 

"  Unreservedly — except  in  your  case." 

"  What's  the  matter  with  me  ?  "  he  asked 
grimly. 

"  Why,  I  don't  know  you  very  well,"  she 
said,  "  so  how  can " 

"  Come  and  talk  it  over,"  he  said. 

They  resumed  the  descent  of  the  stairway 
together,  and,  side  by  side,  walked  out  to  a 
seat  on  the  terrace  overlooking  the  river. 

"  Sit  down,  ma'am,"  he  said,  dusting  the 
231 


Japonette 


marble  bench  with  his  drab-colored  soft  hat. 
She  seated  herself  with  decorum,  inwardly 
amused.  He  dusted  a  place  for  himself,  and 
sat  down  beside  her. 

"  Now,"  he  said,  "  what's  the  matter  with 
me,  Miss  Tennant?" 

She  laughed  deliciously.  "  Nothing  that  I 
have  ever  discovered." 

"  You're  not  much  of  an  explorer,  are 
you  ?  " 

"  A  rather  good  'one,  Mr.  Rivett.  But — 
you  know  there  are  still  certain  peaks  in  the 
world  that  defy  approach,"  she  added  auda 
ciously. 

"  I'm  a  peak,  am  I  ?  " 

He  came  so  near  to  smiling  that  the  girl 
watched  him  with  increasing  interest. 

"  You  know,"  she  said,  "  that  you  are  not 
exactly  talkative,  Mr.  Rivett.  How  is  a  girl 
to  form  any  definite  idea  of  a — a — sphinx  ?  " 

"  That's  two  names  you've  called  me  al 
ready  " — he  looked  at  his  watch — "  in  the  last 
four  minutes — a  peak  and  a  sphinx." 

She  was  laughing  so  unrestrainedly  now 
that  the  corners  of  his  eyes  began  to  wrinkle 
a  trifle. 

He  said :  "  What  do  you  think  of  a  self- 
232 


Non  Sequitur 


made  man  who  was  once  schoolmaster,  day 
laborer,  donkey-engine  tender,  foreman — 
all  kinds  of  things,  and  whose  wife  was 
washing  out  a  wood  shed  when  he  first  met 
her?" 

"  Is  that  you  ?  " 

"  It  is.  What  do  you  think  of  such  a  man's 
chances  in  New  York  ?  " 

"  Financial?  " 

"  Social." 

"  I  don't  know  New  York." 

"  You're  highly  connected  there  ?  " 

"  It  is  a  very  distant  connection.  .  .  .  Mr. 
Edgerton  chooses  to  acknowledge  it." 

"  He's  a  snob,  isn't  he?  "  • 

"  Not  in  the  slightest,"  she  said  pleasantly; 
but  the  blood  mounted  to  her  cheeks  and  be 
trayed  her. 

"  You  like  him?  " 

"  Naturally." 

"  Unnaturally,  too  ?  " 

"  Kinship  has  little  to  do  with  my  liking 
him." 

"  He's  rather  easy-going,  isn't  he  ?  " 

She  flushed  up  again,  and  turned  her  clear 
eyes  on  his  little  brown  ones. 

"  Don't  you  like  him?"  she  asked. 
233 


Japonette 


"  Isn't  he  easy-going?  " 

"  He  has  not  yet  found  himself.  He  is  an 
intelligent,  warm-hearted,  high-minded  man, 
capable  of  taking  an  honorable  position  in  the 
world.  .  .  .  And  I  do  not  doubt  that  he  will 
one  day  take  and  keep  it." 

"  He  was  in  iron,  was  he  not — Edgerton, 
Tennant  &  Co.  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

Mr.  Rivett  thought  for  a  while.  "  By  the 
way,"  he  said,  "  I  neglected  to  answer  your 
question.  I'll  answer  it  now.  I  like  Mr.  Ed 
gerton." 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Diana,  not  perfectly 
aware  of  what  she  said. 

Mr.  Rivett  sat  buried  in  meditation  for  fully 
five  minutes;  at  the  end  of  that  period  he 
turned  his  glasses  on  her. 

"  I  want  to  gossip  with  you,"  he  said 
abruptly. 

She  began  to  laugh  again. 

"  How  did  you  discover  that  I  am  such  a 
dreadful  gossip?  Begin  at  once,  please.  I 
adore  picking  to  pieces  my  absent  acquaint 
ances." 

"  Yes — tearing  'em  to  tatters,  the  way  you 
demolished  Mr.  Edgerton  just  now,"  he  said 
234 


Non  Sequitur 


grimly.  "  Well,  I'll  begin  the  scandal  bee. 
Where  did  you  know  Mr.  Inwood  ?  " 

"  In  Keno,  Nevada,"  she  said  coolly,  won 
dering  what  was  impending. 

"Know  him  long?" 

"  One  winter." 

"  In  Keno  ?  " 

"  In  Keno." 

"Like  him?" 

"  Immensely." 

"  Oh !  So  you're  going  to  tear  him  to  tat 
ters,  too  ?  " 

"  Just  as  I  demolished  Mr.  Edgerton. 
They're  the  two  nicest  men  I  ever  knew.  It's 
odd.  isn't  it,  that  I  didn't  know  they  were 
such  intimate  friends  before  Mr.  Inwood  came 
here?" 

"Are  they?" 

"  I  understand  so." 

"  And  you  didn't  know  it?  " 

"  How  should  I  ?  I  never  saw  Mr.  Inwood 
except  that  winter  in  Keno ;  and  I  don't  know 
my  cousin  intimately." 

"  How  well  do  you  know  your  cousin  ?  " 

The  girl  sat  thinking  for  a  moment,  then 
looked  up  frankly. 

"  Perhaps  you  can  judge,"  she  said,  and 
237 


Japonette 


told  him  the  history  of  her  friendship  with 
Edgerton  from  their  meeting  in  his  studio  to 
their  arrival  at  Adriutha.  And  Mr.  Rivett 
listened  without  a  shade  of  expression  on  his 
face,  but  his  little  dark  eyes  seemed  to  bore 
her  through  and  through. 

"  That,"  she  said,  "  is  the  situation."  She 
hesitated,  then  meeting  his  gaze  candidly,  but 
with  a  slight  increase  of  color  in  her  cheeks : 

"  I  told  you  this  because  I  wanted  to  be 
fair  to  Mr.  Edgerton — in  case — in  the  event 
of  you — your  family — people  here  not  con 
sidering  us  of  much  importance.  Mr.  Edger 
ton  is  not  responsible  for  us.  ...  I  think  he 
came  from  some  boyish  impulse — some  chiv 
alrous  notion  that  my  sister  and  I,  being 
alone,  might  receive  perhaps  more  considera 
tion  if  a  man  of  our  family  accompanied  us." 

"  I  see." 

"  I  wanted  you  to  see.  I'm  glad  I've  had 
an  opportunity  to  make  the  matter  plain  that 
Mr.  Edgerton  is  in  no  way  responsible  for 
any  shortcomings  on  our  part." 

"  Nobody  complains  of  you." 

"  Oh,  no ;  everybody  is  nice  to  us.  But — 
we — do  things — which — women  of  his  family 
— perhaps  would  not  do." 

23s 


Non  Sequitur 


"  Smoke  ?  " 

"  Yes.  Cocktails,  too.  Also  we  gamble, 
dreadfully." 

"Wouldn't  his  people?" 

"  I  don't  know,"  said  the  girl.  "  I  don't 
know  New  York.  One  reads  about  these 
rather  harmless  vices  being  universal  there. 
.  .  .  But  Silvette  and  I  are  really  provincial. 
Provincials  usually  go  too  far  in  either  direc 
tion.  It  was  only  that  I  did  not  wish  people 
to  judge  Mr.  Edgerton  from  us." 

Mr.  Rivett  scraped  the  gravel  with  his  cane 
for  a  moment,  then : 

"  So  you  like  Inwood?  " 

"  Very  much." 

"  Wasn't  he  mixed  up  in  some  mess  or 
other?" 

"  I  never  heard  so,"  she  said,  surprised. 

"  Oh!     What  was  he  doing  in  Keno?  " 

She  laughed.  "  Visiting,  as  we  were,  I  sup 
pose.  You  know  we  weren't  being  divorced." 

"  Glad  to  hear  it." 

"  You  didn't  think  so !  "  she  exclaimed. 

His  eyes  twinkled. 

"  No,"  he  said,  "  I  didn't.     But  you  can't 
throw  a  stone  into  a  crowd  and  give  odds  on 
its  not  hitting  a  divorced  person." 
239 


Japonette 


"  Does  divorce  shock  you  ?  " 

"  Not  in  the  least ;  I'm  past  shocks,  young 
lady.  Who  is  Mrs.  Wemyss  ?  " 

"  Your  own  guest  ?  " 

He  winced.  "  I'm  asking  you.  We  made 
her  acquaintance  at  the  Plaza  last  winter.  .  .  . 
It  seems  that  she  and  young  Inwood  knew 
each  other  in  Keno." 

"  That  is  where  I've  seen  her !  "  said  Diana 
with  innocent  conviction.  "  I  knew  I'd  seen 
her  somewhere.  .  .  .  But  she  was  very  much 
slighter — oh,  very  much — and  extremely 
pretty." 

"  Divorcee  ?  " 

"Isn't  she  a  widow?" 

"  I  guess  so.  ...  No  matter."  ...  He 
stood  up  briskly ;  she  rose,  too,  understanding 
that  the  interview  was  ended — feeling  slightly 
uncomfortable  because  she  had  permitted  her 
self  to  be  so  thoroughly  pumped.  Yet  there 
seemed  to  be  nothing  significant  in  the  opera 
tion  or  results. 

"  I'm  going  for  a  ride  with  my  wife  " — he 
meant  drive — "  just  a  buggy  and  an  old  plug. 
She  and  I  enjoy  it,  Miss  Tennant." 

To  her  surprise  he  took  her  hand  between 
his  own  dry  little  palms  and  pressed  it. 
240 


Non  Sequitur 


"You're  a  good  girl,"  he  said;  "you  and 
your  sister — and  Edgerton — he's  all  right — 
you're  good  children — and  all  off  the  same 
tree,  little  lady — all  off  the  same  old  block  in 
the  beginning — that's  plain  as  preaching.  .  .  . 
Do  you  really  like  my  Christine  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  do." 

"And  Jack?" 

"  Exceedingly." 

'  That's  right ;  they  like  you,  too.  They 
ought  to.  They're  good  children,  and  so  are 
you.  Good-by." 


CHAPTER   X 

COMPOS    MENTIS 

"  J^B  "  S  Diana  put  her  pony  to  a  full  gallop 
^Jm  ^  m  and  rode  him  off,  Edgerton's  mount 
fell,  and  the  young  fellow  lay  sprawling  on 
the  sod. 

He  was  on  his  feet  immediately;  so  was 
his  polo  pony.  When  Diana  pulled  up,  whirled 
her  mount  and  came  scurrying  back,  Edger- 
ton  had  picked  up  his  mallet  and  stood  resting 
against  his  saddle. 

"  All  right,  Jim  ?  "  she  asked  briefly. 

"  All  right,  thanks." 

The  color  had  left  his  face  under  the  tan, 
and  his  expression  was  queer. 

"  You  look  rather  white,"  she  insisted. 
"  Did  Parsnip  kick  you  ?  " 

"  It's  nothing,"  he  said,  smiling.  "  Put  Jack 
in;  I've  got  some  business  to  talk  over  with 
Mr.  Rivett." 

"  You're  sure  you're  all  right  ?  " 
242 


Compos  Mentis 


"  What  a  fuss  you  are !  "  he  said,  leading 
Parsnip  across  the  field  toward  a  groom. 

The  girl  looked  after  him,  saw  the  groom 
slip  a  white  wool  polo  coat  over  the  young 
man's  shoulders  and  take  the  pony,  saw  Ed- 
gerton  drop  his  hands  into  the  pockets  and 
stroll  across  the  field  toward  the  terrace ;  then, 
lifting  her  mallet,  she  hailed  Jack  Rivett  in  a 
clear,  ringing  call,  and  cantered  away  up  field. 

As  Mr.  Rivett  senior  stood  waiting  for  his 
wife  at  the  foot  of  the  terrace  steps,  wrapped 
in  his  old-fashioned  linen  duster  and  pulling 
on  a  pair  of  worn  driving  gloves,  Edgerton, 
in  white  from  head  to  foot,  came  across  the 
lawn,  the  youthful  antithesis  of  the  older  man 
— tall,  powerfully  built,  his  smooth  skin  and 
short,  thick  hair  burned  by  the  summer  sun — 
a  graceful,  leisurely  figure  agreeable  to  see  on 
anybody's  lawn. 

"  Good  morning !  "  he  said  pleasantly,  stop 
ping  on  the  gravel  drive. 

"  Good  morning,  Mr.   Edgerton.     Are  the 
young  people  amusing  themselves  ?  " 
•"I  think  so — thoroughly." 

"  You  came  a  cropper  ?  " 

"  I  sometimes  do." 

"  You  are  amusing  yourself  ?  " 
243 


Japonette 


"  I  always  do." 

"  So  do  I,"  nodded  Rivett,  buttoning  his 
gloves.  "  Never  was  bored  in  my  life — poor 
compliment  to  oneself,  Mr.  Edgerton,  to  find 
life  a  bore." 

Edgerton  smiled  and  stood  with  his  left 
hand  in  his  coat  pocket,  looking  out  at  the 
flat  field  beyond,  where  half  a  dozen  young 
people  on  lively  ponies  swung  their  mallets 
and  cantered  leisurely  about  in  pretense  of 
practice. 

Presently  Diana,  Christine,  and  Inwood 
swung  their  ponies,  and  came  driving  pell- 
mell  down  the  field  after  the  ball. 

"  Your  cousins  seem  to  be  up  to  anything," 
commented  Rivett. 

"  They  were  bred  to  everything  worth 
while." 

"  Oh!  Is  polo  worth  while,  as  you  call  it?  " 

"  Do  you  wish  to  start  such  a  complex 
discussion  ?  "  asked  Edgerton,  laughing. 

"  No;  my  wife  will  be  here  in  a  moment. 
.  .  .  You're  looking  very  pale,  young  man," 
he  added  abruptly.  "  Did  that  pony  hurt 
you?" 

"  A  little.  .  .  .  Mr.  Rivett,  do  you  need  my 
services  any  longer  ?  " 

244 


Compos  Mentis 


"  I  don't  need  anybody's  services,"  said  the 
little  man  dryly.  "  I  never  needed  anybody  in 
all  my  life — except  my  wife.  There's  no  such 
thing  as  a  necessary  man.  No  man  ever  lived 
who  couldn't  be  replaced.  .  .  .  What's  the 
matter  ?  " 

Edgerton  said  slowly :  "  I  thought  I'd  go 
back  to  town  and  hunt  up  a  job." 

"Why?" 

"  Because  there's  no  reason  for  my  being 
here.  There  never  was  any  reason.  You 
knew  it  when  I  asked  you  to  take  me,  but  I 
didn't — because  I  didn't  know  you  and  your 
family." 

"  That's  a  compliment,  isn't  it?  " 

"  It's  just  the  truth.  I'm  glad  my  cousins 
are  wi^h  you.  .  .  .  I'd  like  to  go  back  now." 

"Tired  of  us?" 

"  You  don't  have  to  ask  that." 

"  More  compliments,"  said  Rivett.  "  What 
is  wrong,  then  ?  " 

"  I  am." 

"  Hadn't  noticed  it." 

Edgerton  smiled  faintly.  "  More  compli 
ments  ?  .  .  .  Mr.  Rivett,  I  want  to  go  to  town 
and  hunt  up  a  job,  and  get  in  the  game.  That's 
all." 

17  245 


Japonette 


"  Can't  you  wait  a  month  and  see  us 
through  the  October  shooting  ? " 

Edgerton  stepped  nearer. 

"  I  would,  merely  because  you  ask  me,  but 
I  can't,  I  just  want  to  get  away  quietly,  and 
not  bother  anybody.  .  .  .  I've  broken  my 
arm." 

Mr.  Rivett  swung  sharply  and  his  eye 
glasses  glittered. 

"Which?"  he  demanded. 

"  The  left.  .  .  .  I'll  just  run  down  to  town 
and  have  it  fixed  up.  Don't  say  anything 
about  it  until  I've  left." 

"  Won't  you  stay  here  and  let  us  look  after 
you  ?  " 

"  I  knew  you'd  say  that.  You've  been  very 
nice  to  me.  Ask  me  again  as  a  guest.  I'll  be 
glad  to  come  as  a  friend  if  you  care  for  me 
that  way." 

Mr.  Rivett's  unchanging  eyes  watched 
him. 

"  We'll  ask  you.  My  wife  likes  you.  So 
do  I.  ...  I  don't  want  to  interfere  with  a 
man  who  knows  his  own  mind.  .  .  .  But  do 
you  think  you  can  stand,  the  journey?." 

Edgerton's  white  lips  were  compressed. 

"  Yes,"  he  said. 

246 


Compos  Mentis 


"  Very    well ;    we'll    stop    at   Fern    Center. 
Billings  can  reduce  the  fracture." 
"  Are  you  going  with  me?  " 
"  I  certainly  am,"  said  the  elder  man. 

With  a  valet's  aid  he  got  into  his  clothes. 
His  swollen  wrist  lay  in  a  sling. 

"  I  won't  bother  the  others  now,"  he  said 
to  Mrs.  Rivett  who  was  on  the  edge  of  tears 
because  he  would  not  remain  and  let  her  take 
care  of  him.  "  Please  say  good-by  for  me 
when  they  come  in,  and  say  that  I'm  all  right 
and  hope  to  see  them  all  again.  .  .  .  Good-by ! 
.  .  .  It's  been  a  real  happiness  to  know  you 
— and  yours.  Will  you  let  me  continue  the 
friendship  ?  " 

"  Please  do,"  she  said  tremulously.  "  Jacob, 
you  will  tell  Holmes  to  drive  carefully,  won't 
you  ?  " 

"  Yes,  mother.  Billings  is  going  to  put  him 
in  good  shape." 

So  they  drove  away  in  a  big  red  touring 
car,  Edgerton  sick  with  pain,  but  perfectly 
cheerful ;  Rivett  taciturn,  twirling  his  gloved 
thumbs,  seeming  to  muse  gloomily  in  his  wal 
rus  mustache. 

Dr.  Billings  reduced  the  fracture — a  simple 
247 


Japonette 


one — Edgerton  refusing  anaesthetics.  He 
fainted  during  the  short  operation,  and  came 
to  with  his  head  on  Rivett's  shoulder. 

Half  an  hour  later  he  was  on  his  way  to 
New  York,  lying  back  in  a  chair  in  the  draw 
ing-room  car,  feverish  lids  closed.  Rivett  sat 
in  the  chair  opposite. 

"  I  was  going,  anyway,"  he  said  briefly  in 
reply  to  the  young  fellow's  protest. 

And  together  they  made  the  journey,  not 
only  to  the  city,  but  to  Edgerton's  apartme'nt, 
where  Rivett  quietly  turned  himself  into  a 
valet,  helped  the  young  man  to  bed,  called  up 
his  physician,  Dr.  Ellis,  lingered  to  learn  what 
condition  the  patient  was  in,  and  silently  van 
ished.  And  for  two  or  three  days  Edgerton 
forgot  about  him,  for  Ellis  kept  him  pretty 
quiet,  and  the  nurse  who  had  been  summoned 
knew  her  business. 

He  managed,  however,  to  write  his  bread- 
and-jam  letter  to  Mrs.  Rivett,  and  another  to 
Diana : 

"  MY  DEAR  COUSIN  : 

"  They've  probably  told  you  that  I've  been 
ass  enough  to  snap  a  bone  in  my  left  arm. 
It's  nothing,  as  you  hunting  people  under- 

248  ' 


Compos  Mentis 


stand.  I  was  a  bit  stupid  with  it,  so  I  ran 
down  to  town  to  have  it  fixed  up — and,  in 
cidentally,  hunt  up  a  job;  and  I  wasn't  up 
to  explaining  and  saying  by-by  to  every 
body,  so  I  just  slunk  off — ill  mannered  pup 
that  I  am ;  but  people  are  indulgent  to  dogs. 

"  This  is  just  a  line  to  take  leave  of  you 
and  Silvette,  and  to  ask  you  to  remember  that, 
in  any  and  all  interims,  this  apartment  is  a 
family  joint,  so  don't  go  elsewhere  and  pay 
perfectly  good  rent.  Your  room  and  Silvette's 
is  always  ready  for  you — useless  unless  you 
use  it. 

"  When  I  nail  a  job,  I'll  report  to  the  fam 
ily.  If  you  make  new  plans,  may  I  hear  from 
you? 

"  Wishing  you  both  a  jolly  and  successful 
autumn, 

"  Your  cousin, 

"  JAMES  EDGERTON  30." 

Her  reply  came  by  return  mail : 

"  Jim,  dear,  I  feel  very  badly  about  your 
injury.  It  was  my  fault ;  I  cannoned  into  you. 
You  behaved  as  only  a  man  of  your  sort  al 
ways  does.  I  won't  say  any  more  about  it. 

"  By  this  time  I  hope  you  are  freer  from 
249 


Japonette 


pain.  The  first  two  days  are  the  limit ;  I  know 
from  experience  and  two  mended  ribs.  But 
— I  hate  to  think  of  you  in  bed  this  glorious 
autumn  day — and  the  little  fool  who  sent  you 
there  idling  in  the  sunshine  of  these  lovely 
hills. 

"  Jim,  dear,  it  is  generous  and  entirely  like 
you  to  ask  us  to  make  your  place  our  head 
quarters  between  engagements. 

"If  we  clo  it,  it  will  be  only  because  we  all 
would  be  happier  en  famille.  Even  we,  hard 
ened  materialists  that  we  are,  could  not  bring 
ourselves  to  use  you.  You  know  that,  don't 
you?  So  I  have  assumed  that  your  offer  is 
not  only  a  kindness,  but  a  genuine  expression 
of  regard  for  us;  and  we  return  to  the  full 
whatever  you  feel  for  us. 

"  Jim,  there  are  many  things  that  I  am 
denying  myself  to  say  to  you ;  and  I  find  self- 
denial  hard.  It's  a  worthy  and  laudable  vir 
tue  which  Silvette  and  I  are  trying  to  acquire 
in  our  old  age,  and  it  isn't  easy. 

"  There's  no  news.  Mrs.  Wemyss  seems  to 
have  fascinated  your  friend,  Mr.  Inwood. 
He's  a  curious  sort  of  man — rather  melan 
choly  of  temperament,  I  fancy. 

"We  play  a  languid  sort  of  polo  now  and 
250 


Compos  Mentis 


then,  dawdle  in  canoes,  and  sit  up  too  late  at 
cards. 

"  A  lot  of  men  are  coming  for  the  shooting. 
Mr.  Rivett's  manager  turned  out  several  thou 
sand  pheasants  and  Hungarian  partridges,  it 
seems.  The  latter,  they  say,  have  vanished; 
the  former  seem  disposed  to  wander  into  the 
front  yard. 

"  Mrs.  Lorrimore  has  departed  with  much 
of  Judge  Wicklow's  salary.  Her  stouter  and 
prettier  friend,  Mrs.  Wemyss,  despoiled  al 
most  everybody  except  Silvette  and  me.  This 
letter  is  degenerating  into  gossip.  It  had  to, 
or  I  might  have  been  even  more  indiscreet. 

"  Jim,  you  are  a  good  type  of  citizen  when 
you're  at  your  best.  Let  me  lecture  you,  won't 
you  ?  Anyway,  you're  helpless  and  in  bed  and 
miles  away,  and  you  can't  prevent  me. 

"So — be  yourself.  Go  into  a  man's  busi 
ness.  Disregard  your  accomplishments,  your 
cleverness  at  paraphrasing  art.  It  doesn't 
count  in  real  life,  all  this  facility  with  paint 
and  pen  and  paper — your  gay  imitation  of 
painter,  writer,  composer.  They're  little  gifts, 
Jim — meant  for  an  hour  of  light  leisure 
among  the  leisured — pleasant,  but  unimpor 
tant  accomplishments.  When  you  court  some 
251 


Japonette 


nice  girl,  some  day,  you'll  understand  their 
full  value — which  is  to  amuse  her,  and  later, 
I  prophesy,  the  jolly  little  family  of  a  home- 
returning  business  man. 

"  The  years  are  before  you  still,  Jim.  Open 
the  battle  when  you're  well  enough.  You  will 
win  out,  for  you  are  really  not  the  man  I 
have  known.  I  wish  I  might  have  been  a 
woman  to  bring  out  what  you  really  are. 
Some  woman  will.  Meanwhile  give  a  friendly 
hand  and  a  generous  lift  to  a  fellow  who  de 
serves  your  respect  and  consideration — your 
other  self. 

"  Good-by  and  good  luck. 
"  Your  cousin, 

"  DIANA  TENNANT." 

In  a  few  days  Edgerton  began  to  experi 
ence  the  intolerable  sensations  of  a  bone  which 
is  rnending  itself. 

He  had  become  very  restless  and  impatient ; 
and,  finally,  the  doctor  let  him  wear  his  arm 
in  a  sling  and  go  out  to  hunt  for  a  job. 

He  had  no  trouble  in  securing  one — a  small 

clerkship  with  Close  &  Co.,  ornamental  iron 

work.    He  might  have  done  even  better.    All 

iron  men  knew  who  James  Edgerton  3d  must 

252 


Compos  Mentis 


be.  Many  friends  of  the  old  firm  of  Edgerton, 
Tennant  &  Co.  might  have  offered  him  easier 
work  and  higher  salary,  but  he  not  only  went 
to  none  of  them — he  even  avoided  them.  He 
had  decided  to  discover  what  he  really  was 
worth. 

It  rather  surprised  him  to  find  out  that  the 
big,  blue-eyed,  snub-nosed  Irishman,  Mr. 
Dineen,  whom  he  had  met  at  Adriutha,  was  a 
director  in  Close  &  Co.  Later,  he  discovered 
that  Mr.  Dineen  was  also  interested  in  his  own 
old  firm,  Edgerton,  Tennant  &  Co.,  now  re 
constructed,  but  still  bearing  the  ancient  name. 
And  after  a  while  he  learned  that  Mr.  Dineen 
seemed  to  be  interested  in  almost  every  house 
in  New  York  that  dealt  in  structural  or  orna 
mental  iron. 

Edgerton's  duties  began  with  ledger  work. 
And  the  evening  that  he  drew  his  first  pay,  he 
wrote  Diana: 

"  DEAR  Di : 

"  I'm  getting  fifteen  dollars  a  week  with 
Close  &  Co.,  ornamental  iron.  I  have  my  first 
week's  wages  in  my  pocket.  As  I  pay  no  rent, 
I  can  live  on  it. 

"  It's  not  uninteresting  work.  Somebody 
253 


Japonette 


said  something  about  my  going  into  the  de 
signing  department  as  a  draughtsman.  That's 
pretty  quick  advancement — if  it  comes.  I'll 
let  you  know  if  it  does. 

"  My  arm  is  about  well.  It's  still  mummi 
fied,  of  course,  but  that  maddening  sensation 
is  gone.  Town  isn't  so  bad.  Of  course,  it's 
rather  hot  and  dusty,  and,  as  usual,  it  looks 
dingy  and  mean  in  its  characteristic  October 
shabbiness — meaner  for  the  glorious  blue  over 
head  and  the  pitiless  sun  exposing  its  few 
withered  trees  and  its  many  architectural 
shams  in  the  remorseless  light  of  high  heaven. 

"  But  I  am  peculiarly  happy.  I  have  no 
servant ;  I  dine  at  a  French  restaurant  for  sev 
enty-five  cents,  and  I  prepare  my  own  break 
fast  in  the  studio.  Crackers  and  milk  com 
pose  my  luncheon  at  the  price  of  ten  pennies. 
And  I  never  felt  better.  All  this  in  case  you 
are  interested  in  such  details. 

"  To  answer  your  letter — I  did  not  intend 
to  write  until  I  had  nailed  down  a  job  and 
received  my  first  pay  envelope.  Now  I  feel 
that  I  may. 

"  First,  regarding  your  comments  upon  my 
artistic  ability,  you  are  perfectly  right.  I 
ought  to  have  known  it;  I  did  know  it,  deep 
254 


Compos  Mentis 


inside  of  me.  I'm  not  the  stuff  that  artists 
are  made  of.  Eviter  les  contrefagons !  I  was 
an  imitation.  I  was  not  even  a  good  amateur ; 
I'm  not  even  equipped  to  really  appreciate  the 
best  work  in  others.  All  I  had  was  a  monkey- 
like  cleverness  and  the  blank  facility  of  a  re 
ceptive  parrot;  and  I  was  idiot  enough  to 
contemplate  an  idle  life  of  dabbling  and 
fiddling  with  professions  that  better  men 
dignify. 

"  I  tell  you,  Di,  I  bid  fair  to  turn  into  one 
of  those  horrors — a  cultivated  talker  ! — the 
lowest  type  of  incompetent.  Drawing-rooms, 
studios,  cafes  are  full  of  them,  all  telling  one 
another  what  is  what  and  how  to  do  it.  I  was 
heading  straight  that  way.  My  peers  and 
companions  would  have  been  smatterers,  in 
structors  in  arts  which  the  instructors  couldn't 
master — or  they  wouldn't  have  become  in 
structors  ! — men  of  one  picture,  or  none  at 
all ;  of  one  book,  one  story,  or  of  none  at  all, 
or  of  dozens,  all  still  in  their  minds,  or  in 
unpublished  manuscripts ;  men  of  one  waltz, 
or  several  grand  opera* — I  mean  ideas  for 
grand  operas — all  failures,  all  men  who  had 
mistaken  their  professions,  self-deceived  men, 
incompetent,  hopeless,  pitiable. 
255 


Japoncttc 


"  You  said  in  your  letter  that  one  day  I 
might  meet  a  woman  who  could  appreciate,  at 
their  real  value,  my  very  slim  talents.  Haven't 
I  met  her,  Di?  Those  clear  eyes  of  yours 
pierced  the  flimsy  fabric  long  since;  the 
trenchant  sweetness  of  your  tongue  cut  more 
than  one  knot  for  me. 

"If  you  demur,  my  answer  is  that  I  am 
here.  Who  sent  me?  A  flanneled  satrap,  al 
ready  insidiously  beguiled  by  idleness,  al 
ready  reconciled  to  the  status  quo — how  long 
before,  and  by  what  process  of  evolution, 
would  my  real  self  have  awakened?  Or 
would  the  degeneracy  have  ended  only  with 
life? 

""  I  don't  know ;  all  I  know  is  that  you  sent 
me  about  my  business  in  the  world.  I  walked 
to  it  in  my  sleep ;  awake,  I  follow  it.  Thus 
far,  so  far,  Diana  of  the  far  white  gods! 

"  Yours  is  the  stronger  character,  so  far. 
Let  us  await  events.  It  may  be,  as  you  say, 
that  the  years  will  twist  my  path  toward  the 
possible  woman  you  predict  for  me.  I  dined 
with  Dr.  Ellis  last  evening.  His  daughter  will 
certainly  grow  up  to  be  such  a  woman  as  you 
and  I  delight  in.  I  told  her  that  I  hoped  my 
path  would  twist  toward  her.  She  said  she 

256 


Compos  Mentis 


hoped  so,  too,  very  shyly.     She  is  only  fifteen 
— alas ! 

"  In  the  meanwhile  my  path  runs  straight 
to  Close  &  Co.,  and  I  shall  continue  to  travel 
it  every  day  with  my  shovel  and  dinner  pail 
— thanks  to  you,  my  loyal  little  cousin,  who 
were  plucky  enough  and  merciful  enough  to 
tell  me  the  merciless  truth. 

"  Give  my  love  to  Silvette.  My  remem 
brances  to  all.  Accept  for  yourself  my  friend 
ship.  Do  you  remember  those  photographs  I 
made  of  you  as  Japonette  the  day  after  we 
first  met?  I've  developed  them.  Here  is  one. 
"  Yours  sincerely, 

"JAMES  EDGERTOX  30." 


Which  letter  resulted  in  an  immediate  in 
terchange  of  notes : 

"  DEAR  JIM  : 

"  Fifteen  and  eighteen  are  not  far  apart.  A 
man  can  help  Chance  to  twist  his  path  through 
life.  The  resulting  route  is  called  the  Path  of 
Destiny.  I  think  you  have  already  started  to 
travel  it.  I  hope  you  are  better. 

"  DIANA." 
257 


Japonette 


He  replied: 

"  DEAR  Di : 

"  You  meant  that  path  which  leads  to  Close 
&  Co.,  didn't  you  ? 

"J.  E.  3D." 

She  answered: 

"  DEAR  JIM  : 

"  No,  I  meant  the  other  path  you  men 
tioned.  Follow  it  for  the  next  three  years. 
Mr.  Inwood  says  that  little  Miss  Ellis  is  the 
most  beautiful  and  winsome  and  intelligent 
and  cultivated  child  he  ever  knew.  Life  is  all 
before  you,  Jim. 

"  DIANA." 

He  wrote: 

"  I'm  in  the  designing  department  as 
draughtsman !  Mr.  Rivett's  friend,  Mr. 
Dineen,  dropped  in  to  have  a  chat  with  me. 
He's  a  very  decent  fellow.  .  .  .  You  don't 
think  that  Mr.  Rivett  has  inspired  him  to  show 
me  any  unmerited  favors,  do  you  ?  It  would 
make  havoc  of  my  present  complacency.  Try 
to  find  out. 

"  JIM." 

258 


Compos  Mentis 


She  answered: 

"  Mr.  Rivett  isn't  to  be  pumped.  I  tried  it. 
I'll  never  try  it  again.  Anyway,  Jim,  no  favor 
can  inject  brains  into  a  man;  it  can  only  stim 
ulate  what  intellect  he  has.  Don't  worry  about 
favors.  Neither  Mr.  Rivett  nor  Mr.  Dineen 
are  the  men  to  injure  their  own  affairs  by  the 
incompetent  service  of  others.  You  can  be 
perfectly  certain  that  you  are  worth  what  is 
offered  you  if  they  have  anything  to  do  with  it. 

"  Why  don't  you  fall  in  love  with  Christine  ? 
She's  one  of  the  sweetest  girls  I  ever  knew.  I 
supposed  she  and  you  were  on  delightful  terms 
once.  Also,  once,  I  thought  she  was  inclined 
toward  Mr.  Inwood.  But  he  seems  to  be 
monopolized  by  Mrs.  Wemyss;  and  the  poor 
child  comes  into  my  room  in  a  forlorn  sort  of 
way — so  white  and  limp  these  days  that  I'm 
wondering  what  this  change  in  her  means. 
Does  it  mean  your  absence?  You'd  tell  me, 
wouldn't  you  ?  But  I  know  you're  not  the  sort 
of  man  to  win  a  young  girl's  heart,  and  then 
coolly  walk  out  of  her  life.  It  looks  to  me  as 
though  she  had  something  on  her  mind.  Dr. 
Billings  has  been  here  several  times,  and  her 
mother  is  worried  sick. 
259 


Japonette 


"  That's  all  the  gossip,  except  that  the  shoot 
ing  is  in  full  blast  here.  A  number  of  men 
came  up  for  it — the  usual  sort  of  men  who 
shoot,  except  one.  He's  a  Mr.  Wallace,  and 
very  nice  and  a  poor  shot.  He  and  I  go  out 
together  sometimes,  and  he  is  forever  making 
fun  of  himself  and  his  perfectly  rotten  marks 
manship,  and  he  and  I  don't  care  two  raps 
whether  we  get  anything  or  not. 

"  Mr.  Inwood  is  the  saddest  young  man  I 
ever  had  the  pleasure  (?)  of  trying  to  ani 
mate.  Are  all  your  friends  as  melancholy  and 
temperamental?  He  haunts  the  terrace  like 
a  lost  soul  until  Mrs.  Wemyss  annexes  him. 
Christine  does  not  seem  to  care  for  him; 
she  doesn't  seem  to  care  for  anybody  these 
days. 

"  Colonel  Curmew  is  a  funny  man.  He  has, 
apparently,  devoted  himself  to  me,  and  I  have 
the  greatest  difficulty  in  getting  away  from 
him  long  enough  to  take  a  stroll  with  Mr. 
Wallace.  Such  a  funny,  strutty,  sentimentally 
elaborate  little  man! — with  a  rather  horrid 
habit  of  staring.  But  he's  a  crack  shot,  and 
popular  here  with  the  men. 

"  Good  night, 

"  DIANA." 
260 


Compos  Mentis 


She  wrote  next  day,  also : 

"  Jim!  My  little  Christine  is  in  love — that's 
what's  the  matter !  I  knoiv  it ;  I'm  absolutely 
sure  of  it.  And  with — oh,  ye  humorous  gods 
and  dryads! — with  your  melancholy  friend, 
Mr.  Inwood. 

"  And  I  want  to  tell  you,  Jim,  that  I  don't 
like  Mrs.  Wemyss.  She's  fat  and  selfish  and 
— why  does  she  drag  that  boy  about  with  her 
all  the  time?  I  don't  believe  he  likes  it.  I 
don't  believe  he's  so  enamored  of  her.  Maybe 
his  low  spirits  come  from  too  much  of  that 
fair  and  ample  lady.  I'm  going  to  find  out.  I 
won't  have  my  little  Christine  ignored  by  any 
melancholy  idiot  who  ever  lived. 

"  Write  me  what  you  know  about  Mr.  In- 
wood. 

"  How  is  Chance,  and  the  twisted  path,  and 
little  Miss  Ellis  ? 

"  Scott  Wallace  and  I  managed  to  shoot  a 
grouse.  We  both  fired,  and  neither  of  us 
were  inclined  to  claim  the  poor,  dead,  little 
thing.  A  keeper  put  it  in  his  pocket.  Mr. 
Wallace  and  I  are  going  to  take  up  target 
shooting  hereafter. 

"  DIANA." 

18  26l 


Japonette 


He  wrote :  "  Inwood  is  all  right.  Who  is 
Mrs.  Wemyss? 

"  JIM." 

A  week  later  he  heard  from  her :  "  I've 
found  out  from  people  in  Keno.  She  was  a 
Mrs.  Atherstane — divorced  hubby,  and  re 
sumed  her  maiden  name  of  Wemyss  with  the 
prefix  Mrs.  Did  you  ever  hear  of  her  ?  Scott 
Wallace  and  I  detest  her. 

"  DIANA." 

He  did  not  reply,  partly  because  the  con 
stant  recurrence  of  Wallace's  name  in  her  let 
ters  had  begun  to  annoy  him — partly  because 
what  he  had  to  say  must  be  said  to  Inwood; 
and  at  that  miserable  young  man  he  launched 
the  following: 

"  DEAR  BILLY  : 

"  You're  a  fine  specimen.  What  are  you, 
anyway — a  lap  dog  or  a  Chow  pup?  Get  rid 
of  that  woman!  I  don't  care  whether  or  not 
you  made  an  ass  of  yourself  over  her  by  sym 
pathizing  with  her.  Old  Atherstane  had  no 
more  mistresses  than  the  majority  of  church 
pillars  and  public  benefactors  in  town;  and, 
262 


Compos  Mentis 


anyway,  it  was  not  up  to  you  to  dry  her 
weeps. 

"  Don't  make  any  mistake — the  ci-devant 
Mrs.  Atherstane  can  look  out  for  herself. 
She  needs  no  consideration  from  you ;  she 
doesn't  deserve  any,  either.  What  kind  of  a 
woman  is  she,  anyhow — taking  advantage  of  a 
chivalrous  and  conscientious  boy  who  never 
did  more  than  hold  her  hand  and  pat  it,  at 
most,  when  she  told  him  she  was  lonely  and 
unhappy,  and  needed  a  good  man's  moral  sup 
port? 

"  Rot !  You're  not  responsible  for  her. 
You're  not  in  honor  bound  to  sit  around  and 
await  her  pleasure,  now  that  she's  free  to 
marry.  She  wouldn't  have  you,  anyway. 

"  You  probably  made  an  ass  of  yourself — 
probably  talked  too  much.  You're  not  in 
honor  bound,  I  tell  you.  And  don't  make  any 
mistake — she's  not  going  to  marry.  She's 
having  too  good  a  time.  I  know  that  kind  of 
woman,  Billy.  They  never  put  their  heads 
into  the  noose  a  second  time;  but  they  har 
poon  all  the  men  they  can,  and  they  trail 
around  with  a  lot  of  silly  ginks  like  you. 

"  If  you  don't  believe  me,  I'll  tell  you  how 
to  put  yourself  out  of  your  misery.  Ask  her 
263 


Japonette 


to  marry  you ;  ask  her  flatly.  You'll  wake  up, 
then.  I  know  what  I'm  saying.  You  do  what 
I  tell  you,  and  then  get  back  to  first  principles, 
and  clear  up  all  this  nightmare  between  a 
sweet  and  plucky  little  girl  and  your  own  dam- 
fool  self.  Clear  it  up,  I  tell  you.  I  know  you, 
Billy.  You  have  nothing  to  confess  in  regard 
to  Mrs.  Wemyss.  Of  course,  you  wouldn't 
confess,  anyway ;  but,  thank  God !  there's 
nothing  to  say  except  that^you  were  a  silly  ass, 
and  have  learned  better. 

"  Now,  I've  told  you  how  to  get  clear  of 
this  petty  and  miserable  affair.  If  you  don't 
do  it,  for  Christine's  sake  as  well  as  for  your 
own,  you're  no  man. 

"  JIM  EDGERTON." 


CHAPTER    XI 

QUOD   ERAT   FACIENDUM 

ITH  the  daily  advent  of  men  arriv- 
ing  for  the  flight-shooting,  now  im 
minent,  Lillian  Wemyss  seemed  to  grow  pret 
tier  and  slimmer  every  day  until  the  perfectly 
visible  metamorphosis  had  produced  radiant 
and  brand-new  creature. 

For  the  men  who  were  now  accumulating 
in  billiard  room  and  card  room,  who  haunted 
stable  and  garage  and  kennel,  were  the  sort 
of  men  who  inspired  the  very  breath  of  life 
in  a  woman  of  her  sort — big,  handsome, 
ruddy-faced,  thick-necked  men  with  large,  in- 
discriminating  tastes  and  an  eternal  readiness 
for  anything  from  a  half-broken  horse  to  an 
unbroken  woman,  but  heartily  preferring  them 
both  bridlewise  and  registered. 

They  tramped  all  over  the  place,  on  the  ter 
race,  over  the  lawn,  in  to  dinner ;  and  the 
house  echoed  with  large  bantering  voices,  loud 

265 


Japonette 


unfeigned  laughter — and  they  rode  hard  and 
drank  hard  and  played  for  heavy  stakes,  and 
were  up  and  tramping  all  over  the  place  by 
sunrise,  sniffing  for  the  frost  which  would 
bring  the  first  night  flight  of  woodcock  from 
the  north  into  the  far-famed  coverts  of  the 
Adriutha  hills. 

And  the  best-looking,  most  humorous,  and 
most  reckless  among  them  was  Scott  Wallace, 
a  young  giant  of  infinite  jest,  who  began 
by  pleasing  himself  with  Diana  and,  out  of  the 
sheer  perversity  of  humorous  animal  spirits, 
pretended  to  her  that  he  scarcely  knew  one 
end  of  a  shotgun  from  the  other,  which  gave 
him  a  pretext  for  dawdling  over  the  country 
with  her,  and  making  love  to  her  until  such 
time  as  the  flight  might  send  him  seriously 
afield. 

So,  as  he  cared  nothing  for  the  scattered 
pheasants  and  wilder  and  scarcer  grouse,  he 
amused  himself  and  Diana  by  playing  Winkle, 
now  and  then  consoling  himself  with  a  diffi 
cult  shot,  which  satisfied  him  and  left  the  girl 
none  the  wiser. 

But  on  Wallace  Mrs.  Wemyss  had  her  blue 
eyes  fixed  with  all  the  veiled  alertness  and 
objectless  intensity  of  the  sort  of  woman  she 
266 


Quod  Erat  Faciendum 


was — a  woman  who  would  never  be  dunce 
enough  to  marry  again. 

In  the  meanwhile,  already  exceedingly  pop 
ular  with  the  shooting  fraternity,  she  kept  a 
mechanical  hold  on  Inwood  for  no  more  rea 
son  than  the  matter-of-fact  impulse  which  had 
prompted  her  to  snap  a  leash  on  his  collar  the 
moment  she  set  eyes  on  him  after  many 
months'  separation. 

To  take  him  away  from  Christine  had  not 
been  her  object;  she  had  no  idea  that  he  was 
interested  in  anybody  except  herself.  She 
was  perfectly  confident  that,  given  half  a 
chance,  men  preferred  her  to  any  other  wom 
an  ;  and  there  was  really  no  particular  malice 
in  her  desire  to  give  Scott  Wallace  an  oppor 
tunity  to  follow  at  her  heels  instead  of  Diana's. 

For  Mrs.  Wemyss  really  needed  nothing  of 
men  except  admiration  and  uninterrupted  at 
tention.  No  deeper  passion  had  ever  moved 
her.  She  was  ignorant  of  love,  although  ap 
parently  fashioned  for  it ;  .immune  to  its  law 
lessness,  although  lid  and  ear  and  lip  seemed 
to  chorus  the  contrary.  In  the  slightly  veiled 
eyes  there  was  really  no  promise,  no  signifi 
cance  in  the  full,  sweet  mouth — nothing  to  her 
except  the  superficial  provocation  which  all 
267- 


Japonette 


men  mistook,  and  the  laughing  and  ready 
friendship  offered  so  prettily  that  no  man  ever 
refused. 

Inwood,  searching  the  house  and  terrace 
over  for  Christine,  discovering  her  at  last  in 
the  moonlit  rose  garden,  and,  not  daring  to 
join  her  after  all,  so  faint  hearted  he  had  be 
come,  walked  moodily  into  the  billiard  room 
where  a  noisy  lot  of  people  were  enjoying 
themselves. 

Wallace,  standing  between  Diana  and 
Lillian  Wemyss,  his  broad  back  against  a 
billiard  table,  was  evidently  having  a  splendid 
time ;  and  Inwood  halted,  irresolute,  one  hand 
in  his  pocket  crushing  Edgerton's  letter  into 
a  wad. 

Lillian  Wemyss  caught  sight  of  him,  smiled 
instinctively,  but  her  blue  eyes  reverted  to 
Wallace.  There  was  something  in  her  atti 
tude,  as  she  stood  in  the  full  splendor  of  her 
somewhat  ample  beauty,  that  subtly  repelled 
Inwood;  and  he  swung  on  his  heel,  somber 
young  head  bent,  moving  toward  the  door  by 
which  he.  had  entered. 

"  Mr.  Inwood !  "  called  Diana  across  the 
hubbub,  "  will  you  play  bottle  pool  with  us  ?  " 

He  turned,  smiling  to  her. 
268 


Quod  Erat  Faciendum 


"  Thanks,  I'm  not  up  to  it,"  and  resumed 
his  way  out. 

"  Billy !  "  said  Mrs.  Wemyss,  "  I  wish  you 
to  play !  " 

"  No,  thanks,"  he  returned  coolly,  and  con 
tinued  toward  the  door. 

It  was  his  first  exhibition  of  insubordina 
tion,  and  Lillian  Wemyss,  surprised,  did  not 
propose  to  stand  it,  particularly  in  the  pres 
ence  of  these  two  people.  Scott  Wallace 
seemed  to  be  almost  ready  for  his  leash;  it 
was  a  bad  example  for  him,  this  insubordina 
tion  of  young  Inwood. 

She  looked  anxiously  at  Diana. 

"  I'm  afraid  Billy  Inwood  is  not  well,"  she 
said.  "  I've  thought  so  for  several  days. 
Those  swamps  where  you  men  shoot  must  be 
full  of  malaria." 

"  Not  a  bit,"  said  Wallace,  laughing. 

"  How  do  you  know  ?  "  asked  Diana.  "  You 
never  go  into  them,  you  lazy  thing !  " 

Mrs.  Wemyss  hesitated,  listening  to  the 
banter  that  passed  between  Diana  and  Scott 
Wallace,  which  slightly  excluded  her  for  the 
moment. 

Then  she  made  up  her  mind  that  her  au 
thority  over  Inwood  must  be  asserted  at  once, 
269 


Japonctte 


and  that  she  had  time  enough  to  eliminate 
Diana  later. 

She  turned  and  saw  Inwood  passing  the 
windows  outside  on  the  terrace.  The  next 
moment  she  was  on  the  terrace,  too,  and  he 
turned  slowly  to  confront  her. 

"  Billy,"  she  said  gently,  "  are  you  feeling 
perfectly  well?" 

"Perfectly,  thanks." 

"  Then  why  didn't  you  remain  at  my  re 
quest?" 

"  I  didn't  care  to." 

"  But  /  asked  you,"  she  said,  surprised. 

"  Yes,  I  know  you  did." 

"  Well?  "  she  asked,  astonished. 

He  had  been  looking  away  from  her  out 
over  the  misty  moonlit  river.  Now  he  turned. 

"  Lillian,"  he  said,  "  do  you  honestly  care 
forme?" 

"  Billy,  what  a  question !  " 

"  Yes,  it's  one  kind  of  question.  .  .  .  Do 
you?" 

"'  You  know  I  do.    How  can  you  ask  such 

;• 

"Do  you  love  me?" 

"What!" 

"Ztoyou?" 

270* 


Quod  Erat  Faciendum 


"  Billy,  what  on  earth  is " 

"  Wait,  please.  Let  me  ask  you  again,  Lil 
lian.  Are  you  honestly  in  love  with  me?" 

"  I  don't  know  what  you  mean  by  suddenly 
and  abruptly  questioning — demanding '? 

"  Please  answer/' 

"  You  have  no  right  to  doubt  it.  You  know 
perfectly  well  what  we  have  been  to  each 
other — even  before " 

"  What  haie  we  been  ?  " 

"  I  supposed  we  had  been  in  love,"  she  said 
with  sad  dignity.  "  I  wrote  you  while  I  was 
abroad,  and — I  don't  write  many  letters." 

"  Then  you  are  in  love  with  me.  .  .  .  We 
are  in  love.  Is  that  true  as  you  understand 
it?" 

"  You  silly  boy — of  course !  " 

He  stood  stock  still  for  a  moment,  tasting 
all  the  misery  he  had  stored  up  for  himself. 
Finally,  he  found  his  voice. 

''If  that  is  so,"  he  said,  "  we  ought  to  be 
engaged/' 

"  Oh,  Billy !    Are  you  jealous?  " 

She  laughed,  radiant,  delighted  to  feel  the 
leash  tighten  in  her  soft  little  hand  once  more. 

"  No,"  he  said.  "  I  am  not  jealous ;  but,  if  we 
are  to  marry,  it  is  time  people  understood  it." 
271 


Japonette 


"  Do  you  mean  these  people  ?  " 

"  I  mean  everybody." 

"  You  don't  mean  to  announce  our  engage 
ment  this  winter  ?  "  she  asked  uneasily. 

"  I  mean  to  announce  it  now." 

"  Here !  " 

«  Here— to-night." 

"  I_I  don't  wish  to,"  she  faltered.  "  You 
are  unreasonable." 

"  Is  there  any  reason  why  people  shouldn't 
know  it  ?  " 

"  My  dear  boy,  one  doesn't  announce  such 
important  matters  on  the  impulse  of  the  mo 
ment." 

"  If  I'm  going  to  marry  you,  I  want  people 
to  know  it  now !  "  he  said. 

"  I've  explained  that  I  did  not  wish  it." 

"Why?" 

"  Why?  There  are  a  million  perfectly  good 
reasons." 

"  Give  me  one,  Lillian." 

She  stood  considering,  her  crook'd  finger 
under  her  chin,  blue  eyes  taking  his  meas 
ure  from  time  to  time.  Evidently  happiness 
too  long  deferred  had  made  him  unmanage 
able.  She  never  thought  of  doubting  her 
power.  Probably  he  needed  discipline.  It  was 
272 


Quod  Erat  Faciendum 


most  annoying  to  be  annoyed  at  such  a  time, 
with  all  these  men  here,  and  Scott  Wallace 
already  left  too  long  alone  with  Diana  at  the 
billiard  table.  Discipline  was  certainly  what 
Inwood  needed. 

"  Billy,"  she  said,  "  come  in  and  play  bottle 
pool." 

"  Am  I  to  tell  them  that  we  are  to  be  mar 
ried  ? " 

"  No,"  she  said  petulantly. 

"  When  may  I  tell  them  ?  " 

"  Not  at  all.  Do  you  think  a  year  of  liberty 
is  sufficient  for  a  woman  who  has  suffered 
what  I  have?  I  don't  wish  to  marry  you  or 
anybody — yet.  I  haven't  made  up  my  mind 
to  do  it  at  all,"  she  added  with  a  tiny  flash  of 
rare  anger,  for  her  not  very  sensitive  nerves 
were  beginning  to  feel  the  pressure. 

"  Lillian,  I  want  to  know  now.  It  is  only 
square  to  me  to " 

"  Billy,  if  you  continue  to  insist,  you  will 
end  by  seriously  offending  me.  You  have  an 
noyed  me  enough  already." 

"  By  asking  you  to  set  a  definite  date  for 
our  impending  marriage  ?  " 

"  It  is  not  impending !  "  she  retorted,  ex 
asperated,  as  Diana  and  Wallace  came  out  to- 
273 


Japonette 


gether  and  walked  toward  the  farther  end  of 
the  terrace. 

"  Do  you  refuse  to  marry  me?  " 

"  Yes,  I  do ;  I  am  sorry.  I  really  cannot 
help  how  you  feel  about  it.  This  year  of  lib 
erty  has  been  a  year  of  happiness.  I  don't 
wish  to  marry.  I  don't  know  when  I  may 
wish  to.  I  am  perfectly  contented ;  and  that's 
the  truth,  Billy." 

"  So — you  refuse  me  ?  " 

"  For  the  present — yes." 

"  No ;  you  must  answer  me  for  all  time,  to 
night." 

She  nodded.  "  Very  well,  then ;  I  refuse 
definitely — and  for  all  time.  .  .  .  And,  Billy 
Inwood,  you  have  brought  this  calamity  upon 
yourself." 

But  Lillian's  anger  was  always  short-lived; 
she  was  already  sorry  for  him.  Besides,  she 
was  convinced  that  he  would  continue  to  dan 
gle.  It  had  been  her  experience  with  men 
that  they  were  never  reconciled  to  the  unob 
tainable. 

So  with  one  of  her  swift,  smiling  changes 
of  feeling  she  held  out  her  hand  to  Inwood. 
He  took  it. 

"  Are  you  very  angry  ?  "  she  asked. 
274 


Quod  Erat  Faciendum 


"  No." 

"  Do  we  part— friends  ?  " 

"  We  do,  indeed,"  he  said  so  sincerely  that 
the  smile  faded  on  her  face,  and  into  her  lim 
ited  mind  flickered  a  momentary  doubt.  But, 
no,  it  was  not  possible;  for  Lillian  had  never 
really  been  able  to  doubt  herself.  Certain, 
once  more,  that  this  young  man  would  appear 
at  heel  when  whistled  for,  she  returned  his 
friendly  pressure  with  an  encouraging  one, 
laughed,  and  turned  lightly  toward  the  house. 
He  accompanied  her  to  the  door  and  bowed 
her  in. 

Then  the  strength  seemed  to  ooze  out  of  his 
back  and  legs;  he  dropped  on  to  a  marble 
bench,  and  sat  there  in  the  moonlight,  his  face 
buried  in  his  hands. 

How  long  he  had  been  there  he  did  not 
know,  when  a  light  touch  and  a  soft  voice 
close  to  his  ear  aroused  him,  and,  looking  up, 
he  saw  Diana  inspecting  him. 

"  As  dejected  as  all  that,  Mr.  Inwood?  "  she 
asked,  as  he  rose  to  his  feet. 

"  Not  dejected,  Miss  Tennant." 

"Why,  then,  these  attitude?  Wherefore 
those  woe,  young  sir?" 

"  I  don't  know,"  he  said  listlessly. 
275 


Japonette 


But  she  did — or  thought  she  did ;  so  she 
took  his  arm  in  friendly  fashion  and  strolled 
about  with  him  in  the  moonlight  until  she  pre 
tended  that  the  beauty  of  the  night  tempted 
her  toward  the  garden. 

He  was  alarmed  for  an  instant,  and  hung 
back,  scanning  the  rose  garden  with  anxious 
eyes;  but  he  could  see  nothing  of  Christine, 
and  presently  succumbed  to  Diana's  whim. 

To  and  fro  among  the  late  roses  they  paced, 
the  girl  light-heartedly  rallying  him  on  his 
soberness  and  lack  of  animation,  until  he 
laughed  a  little  and  squared  his  shoulders,  and 
drew  in  a  full  deep  breath  of  the  soft  air. 

"  I  thought  every  man  flirted  if  offered  an 
opportunity,"  said  Diana,  "  but  I've  flung  my 
self  at  your  head  in  vain,  young  man.  Evi 
dently  there's  some  caterpillar  at  work  on  that 
damask  cheek,  or  I'd  be  more  generously  ap 
preciated." 

He  laughed  again,  and  tried  to  tell  her  how 
deeply  he  was  appreciating  her,  but  she  shook 
her  head  and  finally  dropped  his  arm. 

"  I'm  going  to  the  house,"  she  said. 
"  There's  an  arbor  across  the  garden.  If 
you'll  wait  for  me  there,  perhaps  I'll  return. 
Will  you?" 

276 


Quod  Erat  Faciendum 


"  Certainly/'  he  said. 

So  she  turned  and  sped  away  among  the 
roses,  and  he  stood  and  watched  her  until  she 
crossed  the  terrace  and  vanished  into  the 
house. 

For  a  few'  minutes  he  remained  where  he 
was  standing ;  then,  with  a  sigh,  he  swung  on 
his  heel  and  started  toward  the  arbor,  fumbling 
for  his  cigarette  case  as  he  walked. 

At  the  entrance  he  paused  to  strike  a  light 
— and  remained  motionless  until  the  match 
burned  close  to  his  fingers.  Then  it  fell  on 
the  gravel ;  he  dropped  the  cigarette  beside  it. 

As  he  entered  the  arbor,  a  white  figure,  ly 
ing  full  length  on  a  swinging  seat,  lifted  its 
head  from  its  arms,  then  sat  up  hastily. 

"  Is  that  you,  Miss  Rivett?  " 

"Yes."  .  .  .  She  rose  to  her  feet,  holding 
to  one  of  the  swinging  chains.  Moonlight  fell 
across  her  white,  confused  face. 

"  May  I  remain  ? "  he  asked  unsteadily. 
"  Would  you  rather  have  me  go?  " 

"  No.  ...  I  am  going.  .  .  .  My  gown  is 
damp.  ...  I  will  go  immediately." 

"  Were  you  asleep  ?  " 

She  hesitated;  but  there  was  in  her  only 
honesty. 

19 


Japonette 


"  No,"  she  said. 

"  Then  you  must  have  heard  my  step  on  the 
gravel  ?  " 

She  shook  her  head. 

"  Then  what  were  you  doing  out  here 
all  alone  with  your  head  buried  in  your 
arms?" 

"  Thinking,"  she  said.  ..."  Would  you 
care  to  walk  to  the  house  with  me,  Mr.  In- 
wood  ? " 

"  Would  you  mind  remaining  here  a  little 
while?" 

"  My  gown  is  damp  with  dew." 

"  Then  perhaps  we  had  better  go  ?  " 

"  I  think  so." 

Neither  stirred. 

"  It  is  so  warm  and  beautiful  to-night,"  he 
said,  "  that  I  can't  imagine  anybody  taking 
cold  out  here." 

"  It  is  a  bad  outlook  for  the  flight  shooters." 

"  Yes,  indeed.  There  is  no  frost  in  this 
wind." 

"  It  may  shift  overnight,"  she  said.  "  If 
to-morrow  is  a  magnificent  and  cloudless  day, 
with  just  a  hint  of  silver  in  the  horizon  blue, 
then  it  means  a  frost  and.  a  flight  to-morrow 
night." 

278 


Quod  Erat  Faciendum 


"  And  that,"  he  said,  "  would  mean  an  end 
to — the  roses." 

"  Yes.'-' 

"  An  end  to  anybody  sitting  out  here  again 
this  year." 

"  Probably." 

"  So  it  seems  a  pity,"  he  went  on,  "  not  to 
enjoy  it  while  we  may,  Miss  Rivett." 

"  I  have  enjoyed  it— for  an  hour." 

"  You  are  not  very  generous." 

"Why?  You  may  remain  another  hour  if 
you  wish  ?  "  she  said,  smiling. 

"Alone?" 

"  I  was  alone  during  my  hour." 

"  I  have  been  alone  for  an  entire  year,"  he 
said  under  his  breath. 

44  What?" 

She  had  heard  him,  but  her  abrupt  question 
seemed  to  have  been  beaten  out  sharply  from 
her  startled  heart. 

He  made  no  reply;  she  stood,  one  hand 
clasping  the  chain,  not  looking  at  him,  con 
scious  of  the  clamor  of  her  heart. 

"  Miss  Rivett,"  he  said,  "  am  I  too  much  of 
a  fool — too  hopeless  a  thing  for  you  to  listen 
to?" 

"  What  do  you  mean?  "  she  said  faintly. 
279 


Japonettc 


"  1  mean  that — this  night,  now,  for  the  first 
time  since  I  knew  you — I  can  use,  decently, 
honorably,  whatever  liberty  of  speech  you  per 
mit  me." 

Presently  her  white  hand  relaxed,  the  chain 
slipped  through  her  fingers;  she  sank  down 
on  the  swinging  seat. 

After  a  moment  he  stepped  toward  her.  She 
raised  her  head  in  the  moonlight,  and  he  saw 
the  tears  in  her  eyes. 

"  Christine,"  he  said  under  his  breath. 

"  Are  we  free  to  speak  to  each  other  ?  "  she 
faltered. 

"  Thank  God,  yes  !  " 

"  Thank  God,"  she  whispered. 

But  for  a  long,  long  while  they  did  not  use 
the  inestimable  privilege  of  free,  articulate 
speech.  There  seemed  to  be  no  need  of  it 
further  than  apparently  irrelevant  fragments 
such  as,  "My  darling!"  and,  "Oh,  Billy,  if 
you  only  knew  !  " 

Far  away  beyond  them  Diana  came  out  on 
the  terrace  with  young  Wallace,  and  gazed 
very  earnestly  down  at  the  rose  garden. 

"  Shall  we  walk  there  ? "  he  said  persua 
sively. 

Suddenly     Diana's     face     sparkled.     "  Oh, 
280 


Quod  Erat  Faciendum 


dear,"  she  said,  "  there's  somebody  down  there 
already — two  of  them  !  And — and  it  looks  to 
me  as  though  they  were  spooning.  What  a 
world  this  is,  Mr.  Wallace!  I  think  I'd  better 
go  in  and  play  bottle  pool." 

That  night  she  wrote  to  Edgerton : 

"  DEAR  JIM  : 

"  You  have  not  answered  my  letter — but 
men  were  made  to  pardon. 

"  Somehow — and  I  don't  quite  know  how — 
that  wretched  and  melancholy  Inwood  man, 
fortified  by  a  gentle  push  from  me,  contrived 
to  get  up  sufficient  momentum  to  carry  my 
little  Christine  by  assault.  The  darling  has 
just  been  in  here  to  whisper  her  happiness  to 
me.  We  wept  together,  which  is  our  feminine 
fashion  of  uttering  three  cheers. 

"  There  is,  of  course,  papa  to  inform.  I 
don't  envy  Christine.  Papa  has  a  will  of  his 
own,  but  so  has  his  infant  daughter. 

"  Even  yet  I  can't  understand  why  this  In- 
wood  boy  has  lost  all  this  time  dingling  and 
dangling  around  Mrs.  Wemyss.  Evidently  he 
wasn't  doing  it  because  he  was  having  a  good 
time.  I  was  inclined  to  suppose  him  either 
blighted  or  a  mooner. 

283 


Japonette 


"  But  you  should  see  the  change  in  your  in 
timate  friend  now!  Why,  Jim,  he  fairly 
pranced  up  to  me  as  I  was  saying  good  night, 
and  he  wrung  my  hand  and  said,  '  Thanks, 
awf 'lly,  Miss  Tennant ! '  And  all  I  had  done 
was  to  give  him  a  rendezvous  with  me  in  an 
arbor,  and  then  go  off  to  walk  with  Scott  Wal 
lace. 

"  Scott's  a  nice  boy.  You'd  like  him ;  he's  a 
terrible  tease.  It  seems  that  he's  really  a  dead 
wing  shot,  and  has  just  been  jollying  me  all 
this  time.  I  really  enjoy  him,  which  is  more 
than  I  can  say  for  the  remainder  of  the  sport 
ing  fraternity  now  investing  this  place. 
They're  a  hard  young  lot,  without,  perhaps, 
being  really  very  hard;  but  they  are  a  loud, 
careless,  irresponsible  bunch  of  wealthy  young 
men  who,  as  far  as  I  can  learn,  spend  their 
entire  time  in  shooting  at  something  or  other, 
including  clay  birds. 

"  They  seem  to  be  Wall  Street  men  when 
occupied  at  all,  and  all  betray  a  very  healthy 
respect  for  Mr.  Rivett.  People  say  he  is  a 
factor  to  be  reckoned  with  in  New  York ;  but 
I  don't  care.  He's  nice  to  me,  and  his  wife 
is  adorable.  As  for  Christine,  I  dearly  love 
her,  Jim.  No  girl  is  more  fitted  for  happiness, 
284 


Quod  Erat  Faciendum 


and  I'm  glad  she's  got  her  Inwood  boy  at 
last. 

"  And  now,  Jim,  dear,  there  are  two  matters 
which  very  sorely  perplex  me ;  and,  somehow, 
I  turn  to  you  to  help  me  solve  them.  .  .  .  No, 
only  one  of  them,  because  I  shall  not  bother 
about  the  other  matter  yet. 

"  But  about  the  matter  which  is  really  nearer 
my  heart,  Jim — we  must  leave  this  place ;  and 
the  reason  is  this :  Jack  'Rivett  is  making  him 
self  miserable  over  Silvette. 

"  Silvette  doesn't  love  him ;  at  least,  I  don't 
think  she  does.  She  couldn't  do  it  honorably, 
anyway.  She  told  me  so,  and  I  quite  see  it, 
because  she  and  I  are  employed  here  under 
the  Rivetts'  roof,  practically  in  a  position  of 
trust,  and  dedicated  to  their  service. 

"  It  is  not  a  loyal  thing  to  permit  the  son 
of  the  house  to  lose  his  head,  and  Silvette  tries 
so  hard  not  to  let  him.  But  he's  doing  it,  and 
she  can't  keep  him  from  being  nice  to  her ;  and 
she  and  I  know  perfectly  well  what  his  father's 
plans  for  him  are,  and  that  they  include  a 
fashionable  marriage. 

"  Of  course,  that  argues  well  for  Christine. 
The  Inwoods  are  fashionable  people,  are  they 
not  ?  But  poor  Silvie !  Alas  !  her  connection 

285 


Japonette 


with  your  race  isn't  near  enough  to  impress 
Jack's  father;  besides,  Silvette  doesn't  love 
him,  and  the  boy  is  in  a  bad  way  all  around. 

"  Now,  what  ought  we  to  do?  If  we  offer 
to  sever  social  and  business  relations  with  Mr. 
Rivett,  he  will  ask  why  we  do  it. 

"  Shall  we  tell  him?  Is  that  square  to  poor 
Jack?  Or  shall  we  lie?  Or  shall  we  simply 
remain  and  let  Jack  suffer  and  make  Silvie 
miserable  ? 

"  Oh,  wise  young  sir,  inform  a  suppliant  at 
your  knee ! 

"  There  is  nothing  more  to  tell  you  about, 
except  that  your  progress  makes  me  very 
happy.  You  are  doing  only  what  you  would 
ultimately  have  done  without  any  impudent 
advice  from  me.  You  have  found  yourself, 
Jim ;  you  are  climbing  the  rungs  very  quickly. 

"  Jim,  I  am  not  yet  very  old — but  I  might 
easily  be  younger.  ...  I  was  thinking  the 
other  day — and  to-night — that  sometime  I 
shall  be  too  old  and  unattractive  to  practice 
this  not  very  dignified  profession ;  and  I'm  dis 
inclined  to  do  anything  more  strenuous.  I 
don't  want  to  struggle  and  grub  and  'starve 
along  respectably  as  a  feminine  physician.  It's 
too  late  for  that,  anyway. 
286 


Quod  Erat  Faciendum 


"  So  I  don't  know  what  to  do,  ultimately, 
unless  I  accomplish  what  I  started  out  to  do 
— marry  a  wealthy  man.  I  mean  the  first 
agreeable  one  I  encounter. 

"  Well,  I   won't  bother  with  that  problem 
to-night;  my  head  aches  a  little. 
"  Good  night,  Jim. 

"  JAPONETTE." 

Diana  finished  her  letter,  sealed  and  stamped 
it,  and  kissed  the  superscription.  She  always 
did  when  she  wrote  his  name. 

Then  she  laid  her  aching  temples  on  her 
arms  and,  leaning  limply  on  the  desk,  thought 
about  him. 

Hers  was  a  strange, .  sweet  pride  in  him 
— a  fierce  jealousy  lest  he  should  not  take 
the  place  in  the  world  to  which  he  was 
entitled,  and  prove  himself  every  inch  a 
man. 

Nor  did  she  pretend  to  hide  from  herself 
what  his  return  .among  his  own  friends  must 
ultimately  mean.  If  the  love  he  had  offered 
her  had  not  been  totally  extinguished  by  her 
light  mockery  and  smiling  insolence,  then  this 
return  to  his  own  set  would  do  it  ultimately. 
The  standards  that  measured  women  there 

287 


Japonette 


would  be  fatal  to  her;  nor  could  he  choose 
but  apply  them,  sooner  or  later. 

She  knew  this  when  she  sent  him  back 
among  his  own  sort.  She  realized  perfectly 
that  if  any  love  for  her  survived  her  irony 
and  flippancy — her  airy  but  trenchant  scorn — 
it  could  not  survive  very  long  when  he  came 
to  his  cool-headed  and  reasoning  self,  and 
looked  around  him  at  the  women,  and  at  the 
families  and  relatives  of  the  women  among 
whom  he  had  always  lived. 

Already  he  had  spoken  of  little  Miss  Ellis 
— a  mere  child,  of  course — yet — yet  it  was  a 
straw  prophesying  a  change  in  the  wind  to 
her. 

She  knew;  she  had  accomplished  what  she 
had  desired.  She  had  done  this  thing  to  her 
self,  to  her  whole  life,  for  his  sake.  What 
more  could  she  wish  for? 

Sick  at  heart,  she  lifted  her  throbbing  head 
and  kissed  his  name  once  more  where  she  had 
written  it  on  the  envelope.  Then  she  placed 
it  on  the  desk,  and  lay  down  on  the  bed  to 
wait  for  Silvette  before  ringing  for  the  maid 
who  attended  them;  and  after  a  little  while 
she  fell  asleep. 


288 


CHAPTER    XII 

NUNC    AUT    NUNQUAM 

ARM  weather  continued;  no  flight 
occurred.  The  men  thrashed  about 
with  the  dogs  after  grouse  and  a  few  native 
woodcock  bred  in  the  willows  along  the  river, 
or  rode,  motored,  and  played  cards.  One  or 
two  had  to  give  up,  and  return  to  the  city. 

Colonel  Curmew  was  at  his  best  on  these 
gay  occasions — gallant,  jocose,  busy,  every 
body's  friend,  including  Jack  Rivett's,  who 
quietly  began  to  hate  him. 

In  the  midst  of  the  general  tension  and  £x- 
pectancy  concerning  the  long-awaited  flight, 
Christine  one  morning  entered  her  father's 
study  and  found  the  author  of  her  being  con 
ferring  with  Mr.  Dineen. 

"  This  won't  do,  Christine,"  he  said.  "  I'm 
busy." 

"  No,  it  won't  do,"  she  admitted,  looking  so 
significantly  at  Mr.  Dineen  that  the  jolly,  big 
Irishman  laughed. 

289 


Japonette 


"  You  want  me  to  go  out !  "  he  said,  shaking 
an  enormous  forefinger  at  her. 

"  Please — for  a  few  minutes." 

"  Sure,"  said  Mr.  Dineen  with  an  amused 
glance  at  Rivett,  who  sat  inspecting  his  off 
spring  with  a  face  entirely  devoid  of  expres 
sion. 

When  the  big  Mr.  Dineen  had  closed  the 
door  behind  him,  Christine,  a  trifle  pale,  walked 
resolutely  to  her  father  and  laid  her  hand  on 
his  shoulder. 

"Dad?" 

"What?" 

"  I've  practically  asked  Billy  Inwood  to 
marry  me." 

Her  father's  eyes  bored  through  and  through 
her. 

"Who  did  the  asking,  Chrissy?" 

"  Both  of  us." 

"What?"  he  barked. 

"  It  wasn't  asking,  exactly.  I  have  loved 
him  for  a  year,  and  he  has  loved  me.  There 
has  been  a  misunderstanding." 

"About  what?" 

His  daughter's  eyes  never  flinched. 

"  About  a  point  of  honor,  father,"  she  said 
quietly. 

290 


Nunc  Aut  Nunquant 


He  grunted. 

She  went  on,  still  resting  her  hand  on  his 
shoulder. 

"  We  were  very  unhappy ;  but  the  point  of 
honor  involved  straightened  itself  out.  .  .  . 
I  happened  to  be  in  the  rose  arbor  that  even 
ing.  He  came  in  by  accident.  .  .  .  After  we 
had  talked  a  little,  he  told  me  that  he  was  free 
to  speak  if  I  would  listen  to  him.  .  .  .  Then, 
somehow,  we  merely  looked  at  each  other,  and 
— and  presently — presently  we  kissed  each 
other.  ...  I  don't  remember  much  else  .  .  . 
except  that  I  said  I  would  marry  him — before 
he  asked  me " 

"  Did  you  also  set  the  date?"  inquired  her 
father  sarcastically. 

"  No.  .  .  .  Mother  and  I  are  considering. 
.  .  .  Are  you  happy  over  it,  dad  ?  " 

"  Not  violently." 

"Why?" 

"  I  don't  know  anything  about  him,"  he 
snapped. 

"  Yes,  you  know  that  I'm  in  love  with 
him." 

"  Certainly ;  of  course.  Very  worthy  young 
man,  no  doubt." 

"  Also,"  continued  his  daughter  calmly, 
291 


Japonette 


"  you  know  that  Jim  Edgerton  is  his  closest 
friend." 

"  That,"  said  Rivett,  "  counts  some." 

"  And  mother  likes  him,"  concluded  the 
girl. 

Her  father  sat  staring  at  her  in  silence. 
Suddenly  she  put  her  arms  around  his  neck, 
and  the  little  man  hid  his  spectacles  on  her 
breast  for  a  second. 

"  Thank  you,  dad,  darling,"  she  whis 
pered. 

"  Chrissy — Chrissy — so  soon  !  I  wanted 
you  awhile  yet."  .  .  .  He  jerked  his  head 
free,  produced  a  handkerchief,  and  began 
busily  to  polish  his  eyeglasses. 

"  All  right,"  he  said  brusquely,  "  I'll  talk  it 
over  with  your  mother.  .  .  .  She  knows.  .  .  . 
She  knows  more  than  I  do.  They  wouldn't 
believe  that  in  Wall  Street,  but  it's  true." 

"Dad?" 

"  Yes,  child." 

"  Couldn't  we  live  with  you  and  mother?  " 

"  Sure.  D'you  think  I'd  let  any  young 
jackanapes  take  you  entirely  away?  You  tell 
him  I'll  scalp  him  if  he  talks  that  kind  of  thing 
to  you."  ...  He  laughed  harshly.  "  But  I'm 
a  fool,  Chrissy ;  you  and  I  are  talking  foolish. 
292 


Nunc  Aut  Nunquam 


.  .  .  You  won't  come  back  to  stay.  You 
won't  want  to." 

"I  will!" 

"  No,  dear ;  you  don't  know  yet.  .  .  .  Your 
mother  and  I  made  our  own  home.  It  was  a 
rough  one,  Chrissy,  but  it  was  ours.  You'll 
do  the  same  ultimately.  It's  part  of  the 
game.  .  .  .  Tell  your  young  man  to  come 
here." 

The  girl  slipped  away;  in  a  few  moments 
Inwood  knocked  and  entered.  Mr.  Rivett 
gave  him  a  level  and  murderous  look. 

"  How  about  that  complication  you  got 
yourself  into?"  he  asked  harshly. 

Inwood  turned  scarlet. 

"  I'm  out  of  it." 

"With  honor?" 

"  Honorably." 

"What  was  it?" 

"  You  don't  mean  to  ask  me  that  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  do !  .  .  .  But  I  didn't  expect  an  an 
swer.  .  .  .  Can  you  support  my  little  girl  de 
cently?" 

"  Decently." 

"  Not  in  the  style  to  which  I  have  accus 
tomed  her  ?  " 

"  No,  sir." 

20  293 


Japonette 


"  All  right,"  he  snapped. 

After  a  silence  the  young  fellow  said : 

"  Do  you  disapprove  of  me  ?  " 

"  How  the  devil  can  I  ?  I  don't  know  you. 
If  you  make  my  little  girl  a  good  husband,  I'll 
love  you  like  a  son ;  if  you/  don't,  I'll — kill  you. 
You  look  all  right;  but  there's  no  use  talking. 
.  .  .  You  show  me  what  stuff  you're  made  of, 
and  I'll  do  my  part." 

"  All  right,"  said  Inwood,  smiling. 

Something  in  his  smile  interested  Rivett. 

"  Was  your  mother  a  Lawrence  ?  "  he  de 
manded  suddenly. 

"  She  was  born  Elizabeth  Lawrence." 

"  Betty  Lawrence,"  he  repeated,  staring  at 
the  younger  man. 

"  Did  you  know  her?"  asked  Inwood. 

"  I  taught  her  in  school.  .  .  .  Betty  Law 
rence.  .  .  .  Only  two  people  ever  smiled  like 
that — you  and  your  mother.  .  .  .  You  have 
good  blood  in  you,  Inwood.  ...  I  know  your 
father — in  Wall  Street.  We  are  on  good 
terms.  .  .  .  Don't  ever  be  a  fool  again,  will 
you  ?  " 

"  No,  sir."     . 

They  shook  hands  seriously.  As  Inwood 
left,  Dineen  came'in. 

294 


Nunc  Aut  Nunquam 


Rivett  looked  at  Dineen  without  speaking 
for  a  full  minute,  then  he  said  slowly: 

"  My  daughter  is  going  to  be  married." 

"  God  bless  my  soul !  "  ejaculated  the  big 
Irishman— "not  that  child!  " 

"  Yes ;  I  guess  she  means  business,  John." 

"  When? — in  the  name  of  the  saints!  " 

"  When  she's  ready,  I  presume.  .  .  .  She's 
a  good  girl.  .  .  .  They're  good  children. 
They've  stayed  as  long  as  they  could.  Their 
time  is  nearly  up.  .  .  .  But  the  smallest  hut  is 
a  big  barn  when  the  children  have  taken  wing. 
...  I  wish  I  could  have  seen  more  of  my 
father  and  mother.  .  .  .  But  I  had  to  go  out 
into  a  lean  world  and  hunt  a  living." 

"  The  best  of  us  have  passed  that  way,"  ob 
served  Dineen ;  and,  after  a  moment :  "  Who's 
the  lucky  divil,  Jacob  ?  " 

"  Young  Inwood." 

"Stuart  Inwood's  boy?" 

"  That's  the  one." 

Dineen  lit  a  cigar  and,  drawing  it  into  vapor 
ous  action,  ruminated  with  enormous  thumbs 
joined. 

"  It's  good  stock,"  he  said,  finally ;  "  none 
better  betwixt  the  Bowling  Green  and  Pat- 
roon  Van  Courtlandt's  old  shebang.  There's 
295 


Japonette 


money,  too;  and  an  opera  box  and  a  bit  of 
a  shack  at  Newport.  What  kind  of  a  lad 
is  it?" 

"  He  can  look  me  in  the  face,"  said  Rivett. 
"  Otherwise  he  looks  like  everybody  else  of 
his  sort,  and  probably  resembles  them,  too. 
Ah !  " — he  broke  out  angrily — "  these  sleek- 
headed,  tailor-made,  smooth-faced  young  pups 
from  New  York,  with  their  pleasant  man 
ners  when  they  want  anything,  and  their  ways 
and  means  and  by-ways  and  ten-cent  brains — 
God !  Dineen,  do  they  really  ever  turn  into 
men?  Answer  me  that!  You've  lived  long 
enough  to  see  a  new-born  snob  grow  to  be 
thirty.  Do  they  ever  turn  into  anything  ex 
cept  the  harmless  fools  they're  born  ?  " 

Dineen  slowly  revolved  his  thumbs  and 
squinted  at  a  sunbeam,  while  the  smoke  from 
the  cigar  in  his  cheek  rose  to  the  ceiling  in  a 
straight,  thin  column. 

"  Some  of  them  become  men,"  he  said  de 
liberately.  "  The  most  o'  them  is  born  spots 
and  rots ;  or,  if  they're  not,  college  addles  'em. 
But,  God  be  praised!  if  it  wasn't  for  them 
the  good  people  of  Reno,  Palm  Beach,  and 
Paris,  France,  would  starve  entirely.  .  .  . 
Jacob,  they  say  there's  a  use  even  for  the  San 
296 


Nunc  Aut  Nunquam 


Jose  scale ;  and  cursing  would  become  a  lost 
art  barring  the  mosquito." 

"  What  do  you  know  about  young  Inwood  ?" 
asked  Rivett. 

''Nothing;  he's  a  broker." 

"  Then  we've  nothing  to  learn,  I  guess,"  said 
Rivett  dryly,  "  unless  he  gets  into  the  papers. 
.  .  .  Well,  my  wife  likes  him.  .  .  .  She's  al 
ways  right,  John.  I'll  go  and  talk  to  her 
presently.  .  .  .  What  were  you  saying 
about  young  Edgerton  before  my  daughter 
came  ?  " 

"  I  said  that  he's  the  same  as  all  the  Edger- 
tons.  By  jiminy !  I  started  him  on  ink  wells 
to  see  would  he  stand  for  it,  and  he  was  there 
every  morning  at  seven ;  and  he  cleaned  those 
ink  wells  and  desks  till  nobody  knew  them — 
with  his  busted  arm  and  all.  Then  I  set  him 
at  the  ledgers,  and  I  let  him  stew  for  a  week. 
A  week  was  enough  to  see  a  good  man  wast 
ing  his  fist  and  eyes  at  fifteen  per. 

' '  G'wan  into  the  designing  room,'  I  said 
to  him,  using  Doolan  as  meejum  for  my  re 
marks  ;  and  I  let  him  stew  there  with  his  com 
pass  and  his  tracing  paper,  doping  out  the 
work  of  worse  than  he. 

"  Then  I  gave  Williamson  the  kitty-wink. 
299 


Japonette 


'  Give  us  a  pair  of  gates  for  a  gentleman's 
estate,'  said  Williamson,  very  damn  polite, 
knowing  who  was  backin'  the  lad  for  a  place. 
.  .  .  They're  using  the  sketch  now." 

"  I  told  you  so,"  said  Rivett  calmly. 

"  Ah,  go  on !  I  told  you  so !  Let  it  go  at 
that,  Jacob.  So  I  talked  to  Everly,  and  Everly 
sent  him  into  the  laboratory.  When  he  isn't 
there  he's  nosing  around  the  shops,  or  asking 
questions  of  Cost  and  McCorkle  over  in  Jer 
sey,  or  he's  investigating  the  Holmes  Con 
struction  plant." 

"  He's  got  his  eye  on  the  game." 

"  Sure ;  it's  in  him.  There's  iron  in  every 
Edgerton.  They're  all  full  of  ore.  He's  taken 
longer  to  open  his  eyes  than  the  usual  litter, 
that's  all.  .  .  .  Got  playing  the  art  game,  you 
say — like  a  kitten  with  a  paper  ball.  .  .  . 
There's  art  in  him,  too,  I  guess.  Those  gates 
were  all  right.  .  .  .  But — you  mean  to  give 
him  his  chance?  " 

Rivett  nodded.  "  I  am  Edgerton,  Tennant 
&  Co.  I'd  like  to  have  Edgerton  go  back  there 
some  day.  .  .  .  They  were  square  people.  .  .  . 
I  might  have  used  them  a  little  easier.  .  .  . 
My  wife  likes  Edgerton.  .  .  .  She  wishes 
it." 

300 


Nunc  Aut  Nunquam 


"  She  wants  him  to  have  his  chance,"  mused 
Dineen. 

"  What  she  wants,  /  want,"  said  Rivett. 
.  .  .  "  And  I  might  have  been  easier  on  Ed- 
gerton,  Tennant  &  Co.  ...  I  would  have  been 
— if  we  hadn't  needed  the  plant." 

Dineen  nodded  gravely. 

"  Sure !  A  poor  corporal  of  industry  like 
you,  Jake,  needs  what  he  can  pick  up  out  o' 
the  ash  can." 

For  a  full  minute  neither  spoke.  A  slight 
flush  faded  from  Rivett's  cheek  bones. 

"  You  damned  Irishman,"  he  said,  wincing, 
"  when  are  you  going  back  ?  " 

"  To-night,  I  think.  .  .  .  There's  an  ash  can 
I  haven't  raked  over — the  Carrol-Baker  Com 
pany." 

"  You'd  better  fix  that,"  said  Rivett  dryly ; 
"  there  may  be  a  lump  of  slag  or  two  we  can 
use  for  filling  in  ballast." 

Dineen  winked,  rose,  deposited  the  ashes 
from  his  cigar  on  the  window  ledge,  and 
sauntered  forth — to  meet  Jack  walking  swiftly 
and  firmly  toward  his  father's  study. 

"  Hello,  young  man !  "  exclaimed  Dineen, 
"  is  the  house  afire,  or  has  the  brown  jug  be 
low  run  dry  ? " 

301 


Japonette 


"  No  fear,"  said  the  young  man,  smiling, 
but  continuing  on  his  way.  Dineen  looked 
after  him  with  shrewd,  blue  eyes. 

"  I'm  a  monkey,"  he  said  to  himself,  "  if 
that  young  man  isn't  on  some  such  errand  as 
.took  his  sister  to  the  same  place  an  hour  ago. 
If  he  is,  God  help  him!  for  Jacob's  still  sore 
all  over  with  the  news  from  the  front  stoop." 

Jack  knocked,  and  his  father,  who  had  set 
tled  himself  for  five  minutes'  hard  thinking, 
rapped  out:  "Who's  there?" 

"  It's  Jack.     May  I  come  in?  " 

"  Come  on,"  said  his  father  grimly,  ".I 
am — "  but  catching  sight  of  his  son's  face  he 
stopped  short. 

"Father?" 

"  What  ?  "  snapped  Rivett  senior,  instinct 
ively  squaring  his  shoulders. 

"  May  I  talk  to  you  as  two  men  ought  to 
talk  together,  or  must  I  assume  the  attitude 
of  a  child  to  its  father?" 

"  Talk  as  you  feel.  I  had  a  notion  that  you 
were  still  my  son — maybe  I'm  mistaken.  In 
that  case  you  may  try  to  bully  me  if  you  care 
to.  Go  on." 

"  I  didn't  mean  that,  dad." 
302 


Nunc  Aut  Nunqiiani 


"  I  know  you  didn't ;  but  you've  come  in 
here  with  your  mind  already  made  up  that  I 
won't  do  what  you  want  me  to  do.  That's  no 
good,  Jack.  Go  into  everything  cocksure  that 
you'll  win  out.  It's  the  only  way  you  stand 
any  chance  at  all.  Proceed." 

The  boy  sat  down  and  gazed  absently  out 
of  the  window;  after  a  few  moments  he 
turned  his  head  and  looked  at  his  father. 

"  Dad,"  he  said,  "  I'm  in  love." 

Rivett  senior  regarded  him  in  angry  amaze 
ment,  for  a  second  only;  then  the  grim  mask 
of  a  face  resumed  its  weasel-eyed  and  ex 
pressionless  immobility. 

"  Babies  have  to  go  through  teething,  too," 
he  observed. 

Jack  said  pleasantly :  "  Wouldn't  you  rather 
I  came  to  you  and  told  you  about  it?  " 

"  Yes ;  a  boy  is  all  right  who  tells  his  par 
ents.  Who  is  the  girl?" 

"  Silvette." 

An  unaccustomed  color  dyed  Mr.  Rivett's 
pallid  temples. 

"  Oh  !     Have  you  informed  her?  " 

"  Yes." 

Rivett's  teeth  met  under  the  walrus  mus 
tache,  parted,  met,  and  ground  together;  but 
303 


Japonette 


his  son  saw  only  the  jaw  muscles  move  slightly 
in  the  lean  face. 

"  Silvette  is  a — an  interesting  young  girl," 
said  Rivett  with  an  effort ;  "  but  she  is  one  of 
my  employees,  and  not  the  sort  of  woman  I 
wish  my  son  to  marry." 

"  So  she  says,"  observed  Jack  quietly. 

"Who  says  what?" 

"  Silvette  said  exactly  what  you  have  just 
said — that  she  is  your  employee,  and  her  sense 
of  honor  will  not  permit  her  to  listen  to  me." 

"Oh!  ...  She  said  that,  did  she?  .  .  . 
Oh !  .  .  .  Did  she  tell  you  to  tell  me  her  an 
swer?" 

"  No ;  she  told  me  that  if  I  uttered  one  word 
on  the  subject  to  you,  she  would  leave  your 
service  in  twenty-four  hours." 

His  father's  eyes  fairly  bored  into  him  like 
augers. 

"  And  yet  you've  done  it  ?  " 

"  I've  taken  the  chance — yes." 

"Why?" 

"  Because  I  love  her." 

"  You'll  have  that  kind  of  pip  several  times 
before  you  pick  the  right  one,  Jack." 

"  No ;  I'm  like  you." 

"What's  that?" 

304 


Nunc  Aut  Nunquam 


"  I  say  that  I  am  like  you,  dad.  ...  I  don't 
believe  there  was  ever  anybody  but  mother. 
Was  there?" 

"  How  about  that  little  Beaumont  girl  you 
met  at  Hot  Springs  ?  "  asked  his  father. 

"  I  taught  her  to  shoot  a  pistol.  I  liked  her, 
but  that  was  all.  Silvette  is  different." 

Somehow,  the  memory  of  a  girl  he  had  once 
taught  came  into  Mr.  Rivett's  mind — Betty 
Lawrence — who  smiled  as  nobody  else  ever 
had  smiled  except  her  own  son — years  after 
wards — years  and  years  afterwards. 

He  raised  his  sunken  head  and  looked  hard 
at  his  son. 

"  I  don't  want  you  to  marry  her,  Jack,"  he 
said. 

"Why?" 

"  I  had  other  plans  for  you.  There  are  girls 
in  New  York  who " 

4<  There  are  girls  everywhere,  but  only  one 
Silvette  Tennant ;  and  I  am  like  you,  father." 

"  You  don't  show  it  now,"  retorted  Rivett 
sharply.  "  Do  you  think  I'd  spoil  my  chances 
— no,  my  certainty  in  New  York,  as  you  are 
trying  to  do?  " 

"  You  only  got  as  far  as  Mills  Corners,  dad ; 
and  you  had  not  even  seen  New  York." 
305 


Japonette 


"  I  don't  want  you  to  marry  her,"  repeated 
his  father  doggedly. 

"  Why  ? — once  more." 

"  Because — I  don't  know  anything  about 
her.  She  gambles,  too  !  " 

"  Would  you  care  whether  the  girl  you 
meant  to  pick  out  for  me  plays  cards  for 
stakes  ?  " 

"  I  certainly — "  He  stopped  abruptly,  then : 
"  She  smokes  and  drinks  like  a  man !  " 

"  Get  some  woman  to  ask  you  to  dine  with 
her  at  the  Convent  Club  some  evening,"  said 
Jack,  smiling. 

"  Who  is  Silvette  Tennant,  anyway  ?  "  de 
manded  his  father. 

"  You  ought  to  know  something  about  the 
Tennants,  dad.  You  reorganized  their  firm." 

"  I  never  heard  of  her  or  her  sister  before 
I  hired  them,"  said  his  father,  reddening. 

"  Dad,  be  square  with  me.  Do  you  like 
her?" 

"What?" 

"  Do  you  like  Silvette  ?  " 

"  I  like  her  sister." 

"And  Silvette?" 

"  Yes,  damn  it,  I  do !  " 

Jack  laughed. 


Nunc  Aut  Nunquam 


"  So  do  I"  he  said;  "but  she  has  refused 
me." 

"  She  knew  enough  to  do  it;  she  is  a  girl  of 
sense.  Certainly,  I  like  her.  She  knows  well 
enough  that  she  has  no  right  to  encourage 
you." 

"  She  knows  something  else,  too." 

"What's  that?" 

"  She  knows  that  she  doesn't  care  for  me 
anyway,"  said  the  boy  with  a  quiet  simplicity 
that,  somehow,  left  a  confused  and  restless 
resentment  in  Mr.  Rivett's  breast. 

"  Doesn't  care  for  you  ? "  repeated  his 
father  slowly.  "  She'd  care  for  you  fast 
enough  if  she  dared." 

"Dared!"  Jack  laughed.  "If  she  had 
cared  for  me,  she'd  have  told  me — and  sent 
me  about  my  business  all  the  same;  don't 
worry  about  that.  But  she  doesn't  care  about 
me.  ...  I  think,  sweet  and  generous  as  she 
is,  she  does  not  consider  our  family  as  par 
ticularly  desirable  for  an  alliance." 

"  What !    My  employee  !  " 

"  Why,  dad,  our  employing  her  puts  us  at 
her  mercy.  Didn't  you  realize  that  ?  " 

The  elder  man  sat  silent,  glaring  at  his  son 
through  his  great  convex  spectacles. 
307 


Japonette 


"  So  that  is  why  this  girl  wouldn't  listen  to 
you  ?  "  he  said. 

"  Her  reason  was  that  she,  being  in  your 
employment,  occupied  a  position  of  trust,  and 
that  it  would  be  dishonest  in  her  to  take  ad 
vantage  of  it  by  encouraging  your  only  son." 

"Did  she  say  that?" 

"  Almost  word  for  word." 

"When?" 

"  Long  ago." 

"Oh!  So  this  has  been  going  on  a  long 
while?" 

"  I  ve  bothered  her  a  long  while;  I've  con 
trived  to  make  her  miserable.  She  does  her 
best  to  keep  away  from  me.  I  don't  know 
what  to  do,"  said  the  boy  miserably. 

"  Well,  you've  done  it  now,  anyway ;  you've 
come  to  me,  and  told  me  against  her  orders. 
Now,  she'll  go— if  I  tell  her." 

"  I  shall  tell  her ;  I  couldn't  do  this  without 
being  honest  enough  to  tell  her  that  I've  done 
it." 

"  But — you  say  she'll  go  away." 

"  She  certainly  will,  unless  you  ask  her  to 
remain." 

"I?" 

"Yes;  you,  dad." 

308 


Nunc  Aut  Nunquam 


"  Do  you  think  I'm  going  to  deliberately 
bite  my  own  head  off  ?  " 

Jack  smiled  forlornly.  "If  you  don't  ask 
her  to  stay,  you'll  be  biting  my  head  off;  but 
I  won't  need  a  head  if  she  goes,  so  bite  away, 
dad,  if  you're  going  to." 

Rivett  stared  at  him  in  stony  silence. 

"  Do  you  know  what  your  sister  has  done?  " 

"  Yes ;  Inwood  is  a  corker.  I'm  terribly 
glad." 

"  Oh,  are  you  !  " 

"Aren't  you?" 

"  Confound  it !  how  do  I  know  whether  I'm 
glad  or  not  to  see  the  house  emptying  itself  of 
all  your  mother  and  I  care  for — "  He  stopped 
with  a  dry  catch  in  his  throat,  then  resumed 
more  cautiously : 

"  I  thought  Chrissy's  tale  of  woe  was  suffi 
cient  for  one  morning,  but  here  you  come  gal 
loping  in  with  one  that  beats  hers  to  a  batter! 
How  do  you  suppose  I  like  it?  I  expected  to 
have  my  children  with  me  for  a  while.  .  .  . 
Yesterday  you  were  in  the  cradle.  .  .  .  To 
day  you're  up  and  off  and  out  into  the  world 
with  a  girl  I  never  saw  before  last  June ! 
Jack !  Jack !  what  the  devil's  the  matter  with 
everything !  " 

21  309 


Japonette 


"  Isn't  everything  about  as  it  was  when  you 
were  my  age,  father  ?  " 

"  No,  it  isn't.  If  anybody  had  predicted 
these  times,  he'd  have  been  locked  up  for  a 
lunatic !  What  with  luxury,  and  fashions, 
and  folderol,  and  high  finance,  and  cards,  and 
cocktails,  and  cigarettes " 

"  I  don't  mean  the  details,  dad ;  but  isn't  it 
all  about  the  same — the  birth,  growth,  court 
ship,  parting?  Isn't  it?" 

The  older  man  was  silent. 

Jack  rose  and  stood  by  the  window  watch 
ing  the  big  clouds  drifting  across  the  sky. 

"  Jack,"  said  his  father,  "  why  did  you  come 
here  to  tell  me  this  ?  " 

"  Mother  said  I  had  better." 

"Your  mother!"  he  exclaimed,  horrified. 

"  Yes ;  I  told  her  first,  of  course — even  be 
fore  I  spoke  to  Silvette." 

"  She  never  said — one — word  to  me,"  mur 
mured  Rivett  vacantly. 

"  She  promised  not  to  before  I  would  tell 
her." 

"  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  your  mother  ap 
proves?" 

"  She  said  she  would  if  you  did.  .  .  .  And 
all  I  ask  of  you  is  to  invite  Silvette  to  over- 
310 


Nunc  Aut  Nunquam 


look  what  I've  said  and  done,  and  request  her 
to  remain." 

"  If  she  doesn't  care  for  you,"  said  Mr. 
Rivett,  "  what  do  you  want  her  to  remain 
for?" 

Jack's  eye  met  his  father's. 

"So  that  I  can  have  a  chance  to  win  her," 
he  said  doggedly,  "  with  my  parents'  full  ap 
proval." 

Rivett  rose,  furious. 

"  You  stay  here  until  I've  talked  to  your 
mother !  "  he  barked,  and  went  out  slamming 
the  door. 

Jack  sat  down  prepared  to  wait,  but  it  was 
not  five  minutes  before  his  father  came  in. 

"  I've  seen  your  mother.  Clear  out  of  here ! 
That  young  lady  of  yours  is  coming." 

"Here?" 

"Yes,  here.  If  you  don't  go  out,  I'll  drop 
you  out  of  the  window — old  as  I  am." 

"  Dad  !     You're  a  brick  !  " 

"  Well,  you'll  get  that  brick  in  the  neck  if 
you  don't  hustle !  " 

Jack  laughed  and  held  out  his  hand ;  his 
father  took  it,  tried  to  speak — only  succeeded 
in  swearing.  The  boy  went  out.  When  the 
girl  entered,  Mr.  Rivett  was  standing  by  the 


Japonette 


window,  wiping  his  glasses  for  the  second  time 
that  morning. 

He  turned,  nodded,  placed  a  chair  for  Sil- 
vette,  but  remained  standing. 

"  I  don't  suppose  you've  any  notion  why 
I've  asked  you  to  come  in  here.  Have 
you  ?  " 

"  Not  the  slightest,"  she  said,  smiling. 

"  I  suppose  you  think  it's  on  business  ?  " 

"  Naturally." 

"  Why  naturally." 

"  Because,"  said  Silvette,  laughing,  "  our 
relations  are  on  a  business  basis." 

"  Do  you  consider  them  entirely  so  ?  " 

"  I — am  obliged  to,  am  I  not  ?  " 

"  Don't  you  like  us  ?  "  he  asked  bluntly. 

"What  an  odd  question!  Of  course,  I  do. 
I'm  in  love  with  your  wife." 

"Not  with  me?" 

She  laughed  gayly.  "  You've  evidently  dis 
covered  that  Diana  and  I  like  you  immensely." 

"Do  you?    Really?" 

"Of  course;  you've  been  very  charming  to 
us.  As  for  Christine,  we  care  a  great  deal  for 
her — very  sincerely  and  deeply,  Mr.  Rivett." 

"What  about  Jack?"  asked  Mr.  Rivett 
casually. 

312 


Nunc  Aut  Nunquam 


A  slight  tinge  of  color  rose  and  spread  in 
the  girl's  pretty  cheeks. 

"  Everybody  likes  Jack,"  she  said  briefly. 

"Do  you?" 

"  Certainly." 

"  That's  what  I  wanted  to  find  out.  That's 
why  I  asked  you  to  come  here." 

The  girl  looked  at  him,  startled,  incredulous 
of  her  own  hearing. 

"  I  don't  understand,"  she  said. 

"Then  I'll  be  plainer.  Jack  has  told  me 
that  he  wishes  to  marry  you." 

The  crimson  stained  her  from  throat  to 
temple,  but  she  rose  with  perfect  self-posses 
sion. 

"  I  think,"  she  said  quietly,  "  that  this  severs 
our  business  relations." 

"  Not  unless  you  wish  it." 

"  I  do  wish  it." 

"Why?" 

"  Because  I  warned  Jack  that  one  word  of 
this  matter  to  you  would  mean  my  leaving 
Adriutha." 

"Why?" 

"  Because  I  am  employed  here  by  you,  and 
Jack  is  your  son,"  she  said  coldly. 

"  Do  you  mean  to  leave  us?  " 
313 


Japonette 


"  I  must." 

"  You  need  not." 

"  You  are  very  kind,  but  my  service  is  of 
no  further  value." 

"  I  ask  you  to  remain,"  he  said  slowly. 
"  You  have  already  rendered  me  service  I 
could  never  pay  for.  I  ask  you  to  remain  with 
us — as  our  guest,  if  you  must;  as  Jack's  be 
trothed,  if  you  will." 

She  flushed  again,  brightly,  astonished. 

"  But — but  I  don't— I  am  not  in  love — with 
Jack !  "  she  stammered.  "  He  knows  it.  I 
have  told  him  so.  ...  I  like  him  immensely. 
...  he  is  a  dear  boy — generous,  clever, 
charming,  considerate.  ...  I  never  liked  any 
man  better.  .  .  .  But  I  don't  love  him,  Mr. 
Rivett." 

"That's  up  to  him,  isn't  it?"  asked  Rivett 
dryly.  "  I  can't  make  you  love  my  boy ;  nei 
ther  can  his  mother.  Mothers  can  do  most 
things.  Probably  Jack  is  young  enough  to 
think  she  can  make  you  love  him ;  but  I  can't 
help  that,  Miss  Tennant.  All  I  can  do  is  to 
ask  you  to  remain.  .  .  .  And  to  say — that  if 
you  ever  come  to  care  for  Jack,  my  only  boy, 
his  mother  will  welcome  you  as  our  daugh 
ter — and  so  will  I." 


Nunc  Aut  Nunquam 


Then  Silvette  did  a  curious  thing.  She  sat 
down  at  Mr.  Rivett's  desk  and  bent  her  head 
over  the  blotter,  and  sat  so,  with  her  small 
handkerchief  against  her  eyes. 

There  was  not  a  sound  from  her  nor  from 
Mr.  Rivett. 

For  a  long  while  she  sat  there,  finally  bury 
ing  her  face  in  her  handkerchief  and  both 
hands. 

Mr.  Rivett  bent  over  her  presently. 

"Silvette?" 

She  merely  nodded  in  sign  that  she  had 
heard  him. 

He  said  quietly :  "  You  are  in  love  with 
Jack." 

She  sat  motionless. 

"  Your  loyalty  to  honor  deceived  a  very 
gentle  heart,"  he  said ;  "  you  loved  him  all  the 
time." 

She  made  no  sign,  no  movement. 

"  We  could  ask  no  better  woman  for  our 
daughter,"  he  said.  "  I  was  very  blind.  Jack 
knew,  but  his  mother  knew  best  of  all.  My 
wife  is  very  wise,  Silvette — far  wiser  than  I. 
.  .  .  And  I  have — I  am  in  debt — to  the  name 
you  bear.  I  thought  by  giving  you  my  boy  I 
was  canceling  it.  ...  You  put  me  under 
317 


Japonette 


obligations  I  am  unable  to  meet — unless  you 
can  accept  my — affection — as  collateral.  Can 
you,  child  ?  " 

Her  hand  moved  slightly — moved  farther 
across  the  polished  surface  of  the  desk.  His 
hand  fell  over  it. 

"  Thank  you,"  he  said. 

They  remained  silent  for  a  few  moments ; 
then  he  gently  relinquished  her  hand  and  went 
out,  leaving  the  door  just  ajar. 

When  Silvette  lifted  her  head  from  the 
desk,  she  knew  that  Jack  had  entered. 

Tall  and  quiet,  he  stood  looking  at  her ;  tall 
and  pale,  she  rose,  looked  at  him  steadily, 
came  toward  him  as  he  moved  toward  her, 
and  laid  both  hands  fearlessly  in  his. 

"  I  didn't  know,"  she  said.  "  I  wouldn't  let 
myself  even  think  of  you.  .  .  .  Do  you  want 
me,  Jack?" 

Then  down  he  went  on  one  knee,  and  kissed 
hers,  and  her  hands,  and  her  gown;  and,  con 
fused,  she  drew  away,  then  waited  as  he  rose 
— waited,  looking  at  him  as  his  arm  encircled 
her. 

Very  gravely  they  exchanged  their  first  kiss. 

That  seemed  to  break  the  divine  spell,  for 
they  found  their  tongues  very  quickly  now, 


Nunc  Aut  Nunquam 


and,  sitting  perched  on  his  father's  desk,  side 
by  side,  feet  hanging,  and  hand  in  hand,  they 
succumbed  to  the  rapture  of  garrulity,  asking 
Love's  same  old  questions  with  all  the  ardor 
of  neophytes,  and  answering  as  Love  has  an 
swered  for  many  a  century,  and  will  answer 
for  many  more — tritely,  passionately,  and 
with  that  incurable  redundance  of  which  lov 
ers  alone  are  masters. 


CHAPTER    XIII 

GUI    MALO 

*  j  tOR  the  present,  it  was  decided  between 
m  in  Mr.  Rivett  and  his  wife  that  the  en 
gagements  of  both  their  children  should  be 
kept  secret. 

Except  those  immediately  concerned,  only 
the  parents,  Diana,  and  Mr.  Dineen  knew ;  and 
Edgerton,  as  the  nearest  male  relative  of  Sil- 
vette,  was  to  be  informed. 

It  had  been  left  to  Diana  to  inform  him. 
Silvette  wrote  a  hasty  and  cordial  note  for 
her  sister  to  inclose ;  then  Diana  took  her  writ 
ing  materials  up  to  the  mossy  ledge  in  the 
woods  from  where  Edgerton  and  she  had  once 
taken  the  Path  to  Yesterday  on  that  sun 
drenched  morning  so  long — so  long  ago. 

She    had    never   been    there    since.     Once, 
strolling  with   Scott  Wallace,   he  had  espied 
the  ledge,  climbed  thither,  and  called  to  her  to 
join  him  in  a  new-found  wonderland. 
320 


Cui  Malo 


But  it  was  not  new-found  to  her,  and  the 
wonder  of  it  had  departed ;  and  she  continued 
on  along  the  river  bank  below,  heedless  of  his 
enthusiasm  and  persuasion. 

Now  something  drew  her  there.  What  the 
sentiment  was  she  did  not  analyze.  Perhaps 
it  was  becatise  the  girl  knew  no  spot  as  inti 
mate,  no  fitter  place  in  which  to  write  him  of 
her  sister's  happiness. 

The  place  had  changed  with  the  season ; 
yellowing  leaves  clothed  the  trees ;  the  beds  of 
moss  had  turned  to  vast  reaches  of  golden 
velvet;  naked  branches  crossed  and  recrossed 
above  in  delicate  network  against  the  sky. 

Here  was  the  silver  birch  against  which  she 
had  leaned  when  his  arms  were  round  her 
and  her  lips  touched  his ;  there  he  had  lain 
at  her  feet,  stretched  across  that  bed  of  gilded 
moss — only  a  boy  then,  smiling,  idle,  unawak- 
ened. 

She  seated  herself  exactly  as  she  had  sat 
that  day,  and  looked  at  the  empty  place  where 
once,  so  long  ago,  life  had  begun  and  ended 
for  her — the  place  of  self-sacrifice,  the  altar 
where  her  heart  had  died  to  appease  the  Fates 
and  mollify  the  mischief  of  the  far  white 
gods. 

321 


Japonette 


Among  the  yellow  leaves  a  blue  jay  screamed 
through  the  stillness;  and  presently  she  saw 
him  for  a  moment,  a  flash  of  azure  and 
silver,  high-winging  from  his  invaded  sanc 
tuary. 

Behind  him  he  left  a  silence,  deeper  for  the 
constant  whisper  of  falling  leaves,  stranger 
for  the  far  sighing  of  the  unseen  stream  be 
low. 

She  bent  over  and  searched  for  the  imprint 
of  her  ringers  in  the  moss  where  he  had  kissed 
them  unrebuked.  Many  a  sun  and  moon  and 
rain  had  smoothed  out  that  delicate  sign  man 
ual  long  since.  Only  upon  her  heart  the  im 
print  of  his  lips  remained. 

Then — for  the  path  was  easy  to  her;  alas! 
too  easy — she  sent  her  spirit  back  along  the 
Road  to  Yesterday;  and  soon  she  heard  the 
starlings  piping  and  saw  the  sky  all  rose  and 
gold  above  the  river;  and  she  saw  him,  and 
heard  his  voice,  talking  of  starlings  and  of 
children. 

If  a  single  bright  tear  fell,  the  moss  buried 
it ;  and  when  at  last  she  could  see  her  letter 
paper  through  glimmering  lashes,  she  inked 
her  pen  and  set  her  small,  sun-tanned  hand 
resolutely  to  the  task  before  her: 
322 


Cui  Malo 


"  Jim,  dear,  Silvette  is  going  to  marry  Jack 
Rivett.  She  is  supremely  happy.  I  inclose 
her  note  to  you. 

"  Only  the  families  concerned  know  about 
it  yet.  It  is  to  be  announced  in  December. 
The  date  of  the  wedding  has  not  yet  been 
fixed. 

"  I  write  you  this  pleasant  news  because 
you  are  our  nearest  relative. 

"  In  my  last  letter  I  told  you  that  Silvette 
did  not  love  him.  I  was  wrong;  she  did  love 
him  all  the  while,  but  she  was  too  decent  to 
know  it.  So  how  on  earth  was  I  to  suspect  it? 
I  didn't,  and  she  didn't,  and  if  it  hadn't  been 
for  Jack  kicking  over  the  traces  and  cantering 
away  out  of  bounds,  there  probably  would 
have  been  a  tragedy  in  the  family ;  for  Silvette 
and  I  had  your  kind  and  sensible  letter,  saying 
that  the  only  honorable  thing  to  do  was  to 
take  the  first  opportunity  to  withdraw  from 
Adriutha,  and  we  had  decided  you  were  right. 

"  But  man  proposes,  Jim,  and  the  far  gods 
laugh  at  him — not  unkindly,  sometimes.  My 
little  sister  is  radiantly  happy.  Jack  is  a  dear ; 
so  is  his  sister  and  parents. 

"  It  amuses  me  to  realize  that  I  have  come 
to  be  a  purveyor  of  marital  news  to  you. 
323 


Japonette 


First,  it  was  Christine  and  Mr.  Inwood ;  now 
it's  Silvette  and  Jack.  The  nearest  I  can  come 
to  rounding  out  the  classical  triad  of  the 
blessed  is  to  inform  you,  monsieur,  that  the 
symptoms  of  Colonel  Curmew  are  becoming 
acute.  He  tried  to  take  my  hand  in  the' 
billiard  room — not  my  bridge  hand,  either. 

"  He  retains  my  hand  too  long  when  he 
helps  me  into  a  canoe.  The  other  day  I  was 
horribly  tempted  to  tip  him  into  the  river;  he 
said  such  silly  things  and  popped  his  eyes  and 
went  into  rhapsodies  over  my  ankles — which 
was  slightly  infringing  les  convenances,  wasn't 
it? 

"  But  he's  merely  a  foolish,  pompous,  well- 
meaning  man,  slightly  silly  about  all  women, 
but  with  a  very  kind  heart,  I  fancy.  He  is 
always  doing  things  for  me,  always  strutting 
around  me  and  shooting  his  cuffs  and  curling 
his  mustaches.  Half  the  time  I  don't  under 
stand  his  talk — his  jokes  and  apparently  witty 
innuendoes,  which  perhaps  are  very  funny, 
for  he  laughs  at  them  himself,  and  I  have  to 
smile  and  pretend  I  am  not  stupid. 

"  No  flight  has  occurred,  although  there  was 
a  white  frost  Saturday  night. 

"  The  shooting  brotherhood  are  anxious  and 
324 


Cui  Malo 


gloomy.  Some  even  declare  that  a  flight  did 
occur  Saturday  night ;  that  the  birds  remained 
with  us  over  Sunday,  when  nobody  could 
shoot,  and  left  Sunday  night,  which  was  bitter 
cold  and  froze  water  in  the  garden. 

"  I  don't  know  about  such  things — and  don't 
care  very  much.  It  seems  to  me  that  these 
big,  red-faced  men  make  a  ridiculous  to-do 
about  the  migrations  of  a  few  small  birds. 

"  Scott  Wallace  is  the  laziest  man — which 
reminds  me  in  time,  Jim,  to  speak  about  your 
apparent  attitude  toward  Scott.  I  merely 
wrote  you  that  you  would  like  him  if  you  knew 
him. 

"  To  my  surprise,  you  wrote  that  you,  per 
sonally,  had  no  use  for  the  kind  of  man  I 
described. 

"Was  that  a  snub  for  me  or  for  Scott? 
I'm  sorry  I  spoke  of  him.  To  me  he  is  a  nice, 
wholesome,  amusing  fellow,  so  friendly  to 
everybody  that,  somehow,  your  letter — what 
you  said  in  it  about  a  man  you  never  met — 
hurt  me.  You  would  like  him  if  you  knew 
him.  So,  with  this  feminine  prerogative,  I 
close  my  lips  about  Scott  Wallace  for  the  pres 
ent  and  the  future. 

"  I  am  glad  your  arm  is  practically  well ;, 

22  325 


Japonette 


but  what  makes  me  entirely  contented  is  what 
you  say  of  your  constant  and  bewildering  pro 
motions.  Best  of  all  is  what  I  read  between 
the  lines — that  you  really  love  the  business — 
the  business  of  generations  of  Edgertons;  and 
you,  the  last  of  them — but  not  the  last,  God 
willing ! — are  plunging  into  the  'game  up  to 
your  neck,  interested,  optimistic,  enthusiastic, 
fitting  yourself  for  that  dignified  place  which 
is  yours,  Jim,  by  every  right. 

"  Now  that  it's  over,  and  the  mist  blown 
clear  of  your  path  forever,  I  want  to  confess 
to  you  how  dreadfully  I  felt  to  see  you  here 
in  such  a  capacity.  More  than  that,  your  light 
talk  about  the  arts,  your  light  and  graceful 
accomplishments  in  them,  your  tendency  to 
drift  back  toward  a  career  for  which  you  are 
no  more  fitted  than  I — all  these  things  troubled 
me  deeply,  so  that,  sometimes,  I  even  dreamed 
of  them,  and  finally  came  to  regard  your  fa 
cility  with  actual  fear,  so  jealous  was  I  for 
your  real  career,  so  anxious  was  I  that  you 
should  become  your  real  self. 

"  I  suppose  you  will  scarcely  believe  it,  Jim, 

when  I  tell  you  that  this  feeling  began  from 

the  very  moment  when  you  offered  to  go  with 

Silvette    and    me    to    Adriutha.     Somehow, 

326 


Cui  Malo 


blindly,  I  understood  even  then  that  it  was  not 
the  thing  for  you  to  do;  and,  remember,  I 
knew  you  scarcely  at  all. 

"  Yet  my  instinct  resented  your  going,  and 
if  I  did  not  actually  protest,  perhaps  you  may 
recollect  that  my  attitude  was  not  cordial; 
that  you  had  to  ask  me  many  times  for  my 
vote;  that,  after  all,  I  never  cast  it,  but  simply 
refrained  from  voting  at  all. 

"  I  suppose  this  was  cowardly  in  me ;  yet, 
Jim,  what  else  could  I  have  done  ?  I  scarcely 
knew  you ;  I  dared  not  appear  ungrateful  after 
your  kindness  to  Silvette  and  to  me. 

"Forgive  this  self-defense.  I  merely 
wanted  you  to  know;  I  only  wish  you  to  un 
derstand  that,  at  heart  anyway,  I  have  been, 
from  the  beginning,  loyal  to  the  best  interests 
of  a  friend  and  a  kinsman  who  was  most  kind 
to  two  girls  alone  in  the  world. 

"  This  is  a  still,  golden,  autumn  world — 
autumn  no  longer,  alas !  for  we  are  already 
well  along  in  November.  But  autumn  lingers 
in  this  land  of  hills  and  waters,  and  the  frost 
was  not  severe  enough  to  blacken  the  late 
roses.  If  the  weather  is  unseasonable,  it  is 
also  charming,  and  I  love  it.  Russet  and  gold 
327 


Japonette 


always  did  fascinate  me — like  the  hangings 
and  tapestries  in  your  studio,  with  the  dusty 
sunlight  falling  over  all. 

"  Eh  bien,  monsieur,  I  must  conclude  my 
monologue.  You  are  a  brave  man  if  you  have 
read  as  far  as  the  name  you  gave  me  once — 
centuries  ago. 

"  JAPONETTE." 

She  closed  and  sealed  her  letter,  wrote  his 
name  on  the  envelope,  rested  awhile,  blue  eyes 
seeing  nothing;  then,  touching  the  envelope 
with  her  lips,  she  laid  it  between  the  leaves  of 
her  portfolio. 

Since  that  day  in  this  very  place,  Edgerton 
had  spoken  no  more  of  love  to  her.  She  knew 
that  he  never  would  again,  that  what  had  be 
gun  here  on  the  Path  to  Yesterday  had  ended 
where  the  path  ended.  Never  again  would  he 
retrace  those  steps  with  her ;  never  again 
travel  them  alone.  For  it  was  a  lost  road  to 
him,  a  blind  trail  already  overgrown  with 
briars.  The  days  made  it  fainter,  the  months 
were  hiding  it,  the  years  would  obliterate  it 
for  him.  But  for  her,  alas — she  had  many  a 
pilgrimage  yet  to  make  along  that  briar-grown 
path ;  and  many  a  scar,  yet  unmade,  must  heal 

328 


Cui  Malo 


before  that  path  closed  before  her  pilgrim  feet, 
and  shut  out  forever  from  her  eyes  the  hidden 
shrine  it  led  to,  where  the  sky  was  rosy  above 
the  river  and  the  starlings  called  through  the 
golden  light  of  Paradise. 

And  now,  as  she  stood  up,  the  subtle  scent 
of  autumn  hung  heavy  in  the  air — a  faint  odor 
of  ripening,  hinting  of  decay  and  death.  Sum 
mer  had  gone  indeed — on  earth  and  in  her 
heart. 

Never  again  would  life  be  the  same  to  her 
after  this  day,  in  this  place,  alone  with  mem 
ory  ;  never  again  would  she  be  the  same.  How 
old  her  heart  had  become — how  old — how  old  ! 
O  amari  dies  !  O  flebiles  noctes ! 

She  rode  that  afternoon  with  Colonel  Cur- 
mew,  accepting  him  instead  of  another  be 
cause  she  thought  his  chatter  might  leave  her 
freer  to  follow  her  own  thoughts. 

But  after  a  while  it  seemed  to  her  as 
though  she  could  no  longer  endure  them, 
and  that  the  colonel's  inanities  were  pref 
erable. 

They  were  riding  down  a  mountain  road, 
the  horses  picking  a  cautious  way  among  the 
scattered  stones. 

329 


Japonette 


He  was  paying  court  to  her,  as  usual,  and 
she  had  been  riding  on,  smiling  absently,  pre 
occupied  with  her  own  thoughts  and  mentally 
oblivious  to  him,  when  there  came  a  clatter  of 
stones  from  behind,  and  Scott  Wallace  gal 
loped  recklessly  up  at  the  risk  of  his  horse's 
neck  as  well  as  his  own. 

"  Halloo !  "  he  said  cheerfully ;  "  hope  I'm 
not  smashing  a  twosome,  colonel." 

The  colonel  glanced  sourly  at  him.  Diana 
laughed  with  pleasure :  "  Not  at  all,  Scott ! 
Colonel  Curmew  and  I  are  old  acquaintances, 
and  the  resources  of  sentiment  were  long  ago 
exhausted  between  us.  Where  are  you  go- 
ing?" 

"Nowhere;  I  just  felt  like  a  gallop.  All 
the  chaps  are  kickin'  over  the  flight,  which 
either  isn't  goin'  to  materialize  or  passed  over 
Sunday  and  made  boobs  of  the  bunch  of  us. 
Where  are  you  goin'  ?  " 

"  Nowhere  in  particular ;  come  with  us.  My 
nerves  needed  soothing,  so  I  took  the  colonel 
along." 

"  As  a  tonic  or  quieter?  "  asked  Wallace  so 
seriously  that  Diana  threw  back  her  pretty 
head  and  the  woodlands  were  melodious. 

The  colonel  laughed  loudly,  too,  and  began 
330 


Cui  Malo 


to  hate  young  Wallace  with  a  hatred  that 
passes  all  understanding. 

Wallace  turned  to  her.  "  What's  wrong 
with  your  nerves?  I  supposed  you  hadn't 
any." 

"  I  didn't  know  it  either,  Scott.  Probably 
I've  played  with  cards  and  cigarettes  too  hard. 
For  all  the  sunshine,  to-day  has  been  a  gray 
one  for  me.  .  .  .  Shall  we  gallop  ?  " 

She  launched  her  horse  into  a  trot,  a  canter, 
then  into  a  dead  run.  Behind  her  tore  the  two 
men  through  the  afternoon  sunlight,  on,  on, 
until  their  winded  mounts  topped  the  home 
ward  crest  of  the  hill  and  they  looked  down 
on  the  meadows  of  Adriutha. 

They  wended  their  way  down  the  moun 
tain  in  silence — Diana,  grave  and  apparently 
tired ;  Wallace  smiling  slightly,  and  glancing 
at  her  from  moment  to  moment ;  Colonel  Cur- 
mew  pop-eyed,  expressionless,  curling  his 
mustache  with  gloved  fingers. 

He  was  furious  with  Diana,  with  Wallace, 
with  himself.  Yet  even  he  could  not  see  how 
he  might  have  resented  the  young  man's  in 
trusion  otherwise  than  by  the  lack  of  cordial 
ity  which  he  had  certainly  manifested.  Be 
sides,  Diana  had  invited  him  to  remain  with 
331 


Japonette 


them.  Of  what  low  tricks  women  are  capable  ! 
Because  she  knew  well  enough  that  he  had  de 
sired  and  sought  a  tete-a-tete. 

Curling  his  mustache  tighter,  he  rode  on,  a 
good  figure  in  the  saddle  always — ruminating, 
considering,  angry  because  of  the  interrup 
tion. 

For  Colonel  Follis  Curmew  had  for  days, 
now,  been  carefully  preparing  the  way  for 
something  he  meant  to  say  to  Diana.  He  was 
a  cautious  man  with  women ;  he  reconnoitered 
by  degrees,  inch  by  inch,  carefully  watching 
effect.  Hint,  innuendo,  double  meanings, 
sly  feelers,  veiled  intent,  was  the  strategy  he 
usually  employed  at  first,  skirmishing  as  close 
to  the  dead  line  as  he  dared ;  furtive,  alert, 
ready  always  for  a  brilliant  and  resistless 
climax  at  the  psychological  moment. 

A  few  minutes  ago  he  had  believed  that  the 
psychological  moment  was  approaching.  He 
had  said  one  or  two  things  so  cleverly  that 
not  the  least  resentment  had  altered  her  smile ; 
but  how  was  he  to  know  that,  if  she  had 
heard  him  at  all,  she  had  not  in  the  least  un 
derstood  him  ?  It  takes  more  than  one  to  play 
a  game  of  that  kind.  The  trouble  was  that 
her  smiling  inattention  had  deceived  him — had 
332 


Cui  Malo 


always  deceived  him.  He  was  entirely  per 
suaded  that  she  had  drifted  into  the  game  long 
ago. 

Surely,  surely  the  psychological  moment 
had  been  close  at  hand  when  that  big  fool  of 
a  boy  had  come  clattering  downhill  and 
smashed  their  approaching  understanding  into 
smithereens  for  the  moment.  The  colonel 
silently  damned  him  as  he  rode.  It  took  time 
and  patience  to  gather  up  and  piece  together 
the  fragments  and  smithereens ;  it  took  skill 
and  watchfulness  to  choose  another  such  pro 
pitious  day  and  hour — to  select  the  scenery 
and  the  moment  for  what  he  meant  to  say  to 
this  young  girl. 

As  he  dismounted  her  at  the  foot  of  the  ter 
race  he  pressed  her  arm  significantly,  and  said 
under  his  breath : 

"  Can  we  get  away  for  a  moment  together 
this  evening?  " 

Wallace  was  close  by,  and  the  colonel  spoke 
so  low  and  pinched  so  discreetly  that  she  nei 
ther  understood  nor  noticed  his  amenities,  so 
she  merely  nodded  smilingly,  thanked  him  for 
his  escort,  and  ran  up  the  steps  beside  Wal 
lace. 

"  I'll  be  in  the  billiard  room  later,  if  that 
333 


Japonette 


interests  you,"  she  called  back  over  her  shoul 
der  to  Wallace  as  she  ascended  the  stairs. 

"  It  certainly  does !  "  he  replied  promptly, 
and  went  away  to  change. 

Diana  continued  on  to  her  own  room,  dis 
turbing  Jack  and  Silvette  on  the  stairs,  and 
gaily  jeering  at  them  as  she  banged  the  door. 

A  curious  reaction  had  set  in  from  the  sad 
ness  of  the  morning — a  feverish  desire  to  es 
cape  from  herself,  from  the  misery  that  lay 
always  heavy  in  her  breast,  the  relentless 
hours  that  weighted  her  heart  so  that  its  dull 
beating  had  become  a  burden. 

The  bath  refreshed  her ;  so  did  the  tea.  She 
put  on  her  little  Japanese  gown  and  her  straw 
sandals,  and  curled  up  by  the  window,  sipping 
her  tea  and  watching  the  declining  sun. 

Dusk  came  swiftly,  and  with  it  Silvette  who 
bent  over  and  kissed  her,  and  tasted  the  tea, 
and  wandered  about  the  rooms  gossiping,  too 
full  of  the  joy  of  living  to  endure  silence  in 
herself  or  in  anybody  else. 

Pangs  of  swift  remorse  and  self-reproach 
stabbed  her  at  intervals  when  she  thought  of 
her  own  happiness  and  remembered  Diana's 
late  unhappy  affair. 

How  far  Diana  had  cured  herself,  she  did 
334 


Cui  Malo 


not  know,  but  she  knew  that  her  sister  was 
still  more  or  less  unhappy  about  Edgerton. 

"  Did  you  send  him  my  note  ? "  she  in 
quired. 

"  Yes :  I  wrote  him,  and  inclosed  it." 

"  He's  a  dear  boy.  .  .  .  How  well  he  must 
be  doing !  He  ought  to  go  down  on  his  knees 
and  thank  you  every  day  of  his  life  for  what 
he  is  turning  out  to  be." 

"  He  would  have  turned  out  all  right  any 
way,  sooner  or  later." 

"  Well,  he's  a  horrid  pig  if  he  isn't  grate 
ful  to  you.  ...  I  don't  suppose  he  has  the 
slightest  idea  what  his  regeneration  cost 
you." 

"  Don't  talk  that  way,  Silvie." 

"  What  way  ?     I'm  merely  saying " 

"  Don't  say  it,  dear.  ...  If  it  cost  me  any 
thing,  he  is  never  going  to  know  it." 

Silvette  looked  at  her  wistfully.  "  If  I 
could  only  see  you  as  happy  as  I  am,  Di.  .  .  . 
Sometimes  I  can  scarcely  bear  to  be  as  happy 
as  I  am,  and  remember  that  you  are  not  shar 
ing  it." 

"True,"  said  Diana,  smiling;  "Jack  can't 
marry  us  both,  so  we  can't  share  your  happi 
ness,  dear." 

335 


Japonette 


Silvette  came  and  sat  on  the  arm  of  the 
chair,  drawing  one  arm  about  Diana's  neck. 

"Do  you  still  care  for  him  very  much?" 
she  asked  sorrowfully. 

"  Very  much." 

"  Do  you  think  it  will  last?" 

"  Yes." 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do?  " 

"  Nothing." 

"  Isn't  there  something  to  do  ?  " 

"  Nothing." 

"  Perhaps,  all  this  time  he  really  cares  for 
you." 

"  There  is  not  the  slightest  possibility.  I 
had  my  chance ;  he  cared  for  me — at  that  mo 
ment — when  he  told  me  so.  ...  Those  men 
out  there  " — she  made  a  vague  gesture  toward 
the  unseen  hills — "  are  no  more  deadly  cool 
when  they  shoot  than  was  I  when  I  deliberate 
ly  killed  in  him  whatever  love  he  may  have 
had  for  me.  ...  I  slew  it,  I  tell  you.  There 
is  no  resurrection  for  dead  things." 

Silvette  sighed  heavily,  and  laid  her  smooth 
cheek  against  her  sister's  hair. 

"  Still,"  she  murmured  half  to  herself, 
"  there  are  miracles." 

"  There  were." 

336 


Cui  Malo 


"  There  may  be  others  yet." 

"  No ;  I  wounded  his  pride." 

"  You  aroused  it." 

"  By  wounding  it,  and  at  the  expense  of 
what  fell  dead  beside  it.  Love  died  that  day, 
little  sister,  and  for  that  death  there  is  no  re 
incarnation." 

Again  the"  feverish  desire  for  escape  came 
over  her,  seeming  to  burn  through  every  vein, 
and  she  sprang  to  her  feet  and  rang  for  the 
maid. 

"  I'm  likely  to  do  almost  anything  to-night," 
she  said.  "  Shall  I  make  it  a  double  event 
when  you're  ready?" 

"A  double— what?" 

"Double  event — double  wedding?  I  can 
easily  do  so.  Is  it  a  good  way  to  drown  your 
griefs,  Silvie?  Because  the  prospect  of  being 
alone  after  you  and  Jack  marry  actually  ter 
rifies  me." 

"  You  little  goose,  you'll  live  with  us !  " 

"  I  see  myself  doing  it ! — the  superfluous 
spinster  to  be  reckoned  with,  counted  in 
at  dinners,  mollified  by  kindness,  secretly 
feared  for  her  acidulated  tongue,  to  be  em 
ployed  later  in  either  bribing  or  disciplining 
the  children." 

337 


Japonette 


"  Di ! " 

"What?" 

"If— in  the— the " 

"  Course  of  human  events " 

"  Jack  and  I  have  children,"  continued  Sil- 
vette,  flushing,  "  we'll  also  have  nurses  to  look 
out  for  the  grubby  little  things." 

"  Grubby !  You  don't  know  what  you're 
saying.  You'll  be  the  most  adoring — and 
adorable  mother " 

"  Well,  please  don't  talk  about  it.  ...  I 
don't  care  for  children  now.  ...  I  don't  know 
how  I'll  feel  later." 

Diana  stood  in  the  middle  of  the  room — 
the  smile  fading  from  her  face,  her  small 
hands  clenching. 

"  I've  learned  to  like  children,"  she  said. 
"  I've  learned  to  love  them,  somehow — even 
babies.  ...  I  want  one  of  my  own,"  she 
added  fiercely.  "  I  wish  for  one  very  much ; 
and  if  I  can't  have  one — and  it's  impossible, 
of  course — I — I'll  marry  some  man  and  have 
one !  " 

"  Good  heavens !  "  exclaimed  Silvette,  hor 
rified,  "what  are  you  talking  about?  I'll  let 
you  have  one  of  mine!". 

"  I  don't  want  yours !     How  do  you  know 

338 


Cui  Malo 


you'll  have  any?  How  do  you  know  you'll 
have  more  than  one  ?  " 

Her  eyebrows  were  bent  inward,  her  lips 
compressed;  she  turned  her  head  and  stared 
out  at  the  stars — from  where,  they  say,  all 
babies  come,  and  where  they  all  return  at 
last. 

"  You  know,"  she  said  calmly,  "  that  I 
wouldn't  really  do  such  a  thing — even  to  have 
what  I  care  for  so  much.  .  .  .  And  yet — if  a 
woman  is  tired,  hopeless,  alone,  isn't  marry 
ing  some  man  a  help  to  her  ?  Can't  she  stand 
the  passing  years  better?  Doesn't  it  give  her 
some  respite  from  the  eternal  pain — here  " — 
she  laid  a  slim  hand  on  her  breast — "  doesn't 
it  give  her  something  to  live  for,  especially  if 
children  should  come?  I  don't  know,  Silvie; 
I  ask  you  because  I'm  tired  and  confused  with 
the  pain  of  it." 

"  My  darling !  " 

She  dropped  her  head  on  Silvette's  shoulder 
for  a  moment;  then,  as  the  maid  knocked, 
lifted  it  calmly  and  bade  her  come  in. 

That  night  at  dinner  she  was  very  gay — a 
charming,     sparkling,     bewildering     creature. 
Through  and  through  Colonel   Curmew  shot 
23  341 


Japonette 


intermittent  pangs  of  jealousy  and  doubt,  mer 
cifully  assuaged  by  hope ;  through  and  through 
Scott  Wallace  her  blue  eyes  seemed  to  pene 
trate,  exposing  to  her  laughing  gaze  his  youth 
ful  and  very  susceptible  heart. 

"  Certainly  I'm  bowled  over,"  he  admitted 
cheerfully  to  himself.  "  She  is  the  cunnin'est 
thing  that  ever  missed  a  pheasant;  but  she's 
found  me,  all  right,  with  both  barrels,  and  the 
sky's  full  of  feathers,  and  I'm  on  the  sod, 
kickin'." 

He  managed  to  tell  her  so  that  evening,  in 
language  sportsmanlike  and  picturesque,  be 
fore  they  cut  for  partners  at  auction.  She 
was  standing  on  the  stairs,  two  steps 
up;  he  below  her,  with  his  handsome  face 
lifted. 

"  All  you've  got  to  do  is  to  send  your  dogs 
forward,  and  retrieve  me,  Diana.  I'm  grassed 
in  the  open  in  plain  sight." 

"  Suppose  I  should  take  you  up,  Scott?" 

"Is  it  a  go?" 

She  smiled  down  at  him. 

"  Take  care,  young  man.  I'm  approaching 
spinsterhood  at  a  terrifying  speed.  How  do 
you  know  that  I  may  not  clutch  wildly  at 
you?" 

342 


Cui  Malo 


"  For  Heaven's  sake,  clutch !  "  he  urged 
her. 

"  How  ?  Shall  I  roll  up  my  eyes  and  whis 
per,  'Oh,  Scott!' — or  shall  I  take  a  flying 
leap  at  you  from  here,  and  rope  you  before 
you  can  get  away?  Instruct  me,  please,  be 
cause  I  really  don't  know  as  much  about  such 
customs  as  perhaps  you  think  I  do." 

"  Take  the  flyer,  Diana ;  I'll  catch  you.  Are 
you  ready?  Come  on ;  be  a  sport!" 

"  I  can't  be  a  sport,  Scott.  I  try;  I  make  a 
brave -effort  to  be  cigaretteful  and  naughty, 
but — I'm  ashamed  to  say  it  isn't  in  me.  Now 
you'll  run,  I  suppose." 

"  After  you — yes.  .  .  .  Diana,  I  do  love 
you.  I  haven't  said  it  right,  that's  all.  Will 
you  marry  me  and  make  somethin'  out  of  me 
besides  a  loafin'  lout  in  puttees  ?  " 

"Oh,  Scott,  you're  so  beautiful  in  puttees! 
I  wouldn't  make  anything  else  out  of  you  if 
I  could;  you  must  be  perfectly  gorgeous  in 
pink." 

"  Come  down  to  the  next  hunt  ball  and  see. 
They're  a  fine  bunch  at  Meadowbrook.  You'll 
like  'em ;  maybe  you'll  learn  to  like  me." 

"  I  do  now,  you  scatter-brain !  I  adore  you, 
Scott ;  but,  you  know,  love  is  a  different  game." 
343 


Japonette 


"  That'll  come  all  right,"  he  protested. 
"  When  you're  the  missus,  and  you  see  me 
come  a  cropper  over  five  bars,  you'll  suddenly 
wake  up  to  find  you  love  hubby.  And  I  won't 
be  hurt,  but  you'll  think  I  am,  and  you'll  pull 
up  and  scramble  down  and  look  me  over,  and 
cover  my  pale  and  beautiful  face  with  kisses 
and — I'll  play  foxy  and  let  you,"  he  ended 
with  pleased  satisfaction. 

The. smile  on  her  face  had  suddenly  become 
fixed;  for  what  he  was  saying  had  conjured 
up  a  vision  of  the  polo  field,  and  a  young  fel 
low  in  white  picking  himself  up  from  the 
trampled  sod. 

Wallace,  looking  around  to  see  that  the  hall 
was  empty,  sprang  up  the  two  steps  and  took 
her  hand  in  his. 

"  Diana,  I  do  love  you  dearly,"  he  said. 
"  Will  you  take  me  on  for  a  trial  gallop  ?  " 

"Do  you  mean  an  engagement?"  she  said, 
looking  him  over. 

"Yes,  I  do;  will  you?" 

"  What  kind  of  an  engagement?  " 

"  The  regular — with  a  sparkler  on  the  side. 
Will  you,  Di?" 

"  No,  you  very  slangy  young  man,  I  won't." 

"  Well,  then — then — what  kind  of  an  en- 
344 


Cui  Malo 


gagement  do  you  suggest?"  he  asked  cheer 
fully.  "  Just  the  circingle  and  halter  kind  ?  " 

"What  kind  is  that,  Scott?" 

"  Oh,  an  understanding  that  you're  not  bitted 
and  bridled  yet." 

"  You  mean  that  the  engagement  lasts  dur 
ing  my  pleasure  ?  " 

"  Yes,  that's  it." 

"  And  ends  in  marriage — or  a  very,  very 
kind  note?"  she  asked,  laughing. 

"  Sure  thing!    Am  I  on?" 

She  considered  him,  smilingly. 

"  If  you  like,"  she  said. 

"  Oh,  I  do  like !  It's  awf'lly  good  of  you, 
Diana.  .  .  .  Would  you  be  gracious  enough  to 
wear  a  sparkler?" 

"  Not  yet,  Scott." 

"  Oh,  that's  all  right — whenever  you  say." 
He  looked  up  at  her,  blushing.  "  Do  you  mind 
if  I  kiss  you?  " 

She  looked  at  him  for  a  second,  then  im 
pulsively  bent  forward  and  kissed  him 
squarely. 

"  You  nice  boy,"  she  said  gently ;  "  you  nice, 

nice  boy.     I   wish  the  world   were  fuller  of 

your  sort.  ...  I  don't  love  you,  Scott.  .  .  . 

I  don't  suppose  I  shall.  .  .  .  But  if  you  knew 

345 


Japonette 


what  I  feel  for  you,  I  believe  you  wouldn't 
exchange  it  for  any  love  I  could  ever  give  you. 
.  .  .  Shall  we  go  into  the  billiard  room?  I'm 
playing  at  Colonel  Curmew's  table,  and  he's 
probably  perfectly  furious  at  being  kept  wait 
ing." 

She  gave  his  hand  a  friendly  pressure  as 
he  released  it,  laughed,  blushed,  and  turned 
away  toward  the  billiard  room,  where  the 
clamor  was  already  audible. 

They  parted  at  the  door,  where  she  met  her 
sister  in  conversation  with  Mr.  Rivett. 

"  Diana,"  she  said,  "  Mr.  Rivett  and  I  are 
going  to  town  on  the  early  train.  You  know 
he  goes  every  week,  and  I've  simply  got  to  do 
some  shopping.  Will  you  come  with  us  ?  " 

Diana's  heart  gave  a  bound.  To  her,  New 
York  had  become  merely  the  abiding  place  of 
Edgerton,  and  every  mention  of  it  started  her 
pulses. 

"  Oh,  do  come,  Di,"  urged  her  sister.  "If 
you'll  come,  we'll  have  Jim  to  dinner  at  the 
Plaza.  All  the  theaters  are  open,  too,  and  we 
can  have  a  jolly  time." 

"  How  on  earth  is  Jack  going  to  bear  it?  " 
asked  Diana,  laughing. 

"  Bear  it?  Did  you  suppose  Jack  wasn't 
346 


Cui  Malo 


coming  ?  "  asked  Silvette  so  naively  that  the 
corners  of  Mr.  Rivett's  eyes  cracked  into 
wrinkles. 

"  All  right,  I'll  come/'  said  Diana,  with 
never  a  thought  for  Scott  Wallace ;  but,  think 
ing  of  Edgerton,  she  had  meant  to  go  from 
the  first. 

As  Silvette,  on  her  future  father-in-law's 
arm,  walked  on  toward  the  drawing-room, 
Colonel  Curmew  appeared  from  the  billiard 
room. 

"  Oh,"  said  Diana,  "  I  am  so  sorry  to  have 
kept  you  waiting.  I  was  talking  to  my  sister 
about  going  to  town  to-morrow." 

"  I  want  to  see  you  before  you  go,"  said 
Curmew  in  a  low  voice.  "  It  can't  be  done 
now— --they're  waiting  for  us,  and  Mrs. 
Wemyss  is  developing  a  temper.  When  can 
I  see  you  ?  " 

"  Why,  I  don't  know,"  she  said,  smiling. 
"  What  have  you  to  say  to  me  that  cannot  be 
said  now  ?  " 

The  colonel's  eyes  popped,  and  he  leered  at 
her,  not  doubting  her  coquetry. 

"  On  the  terrace  after  cards,"  he  said,  curl 
ing  his  mustache.  "  Is  that  understood  ?  " 

"  Indeed,  it  is  not,  Colonel  Curmew !  "  she 
347 


Japonette 


said,  amused.  "  I  shall  retire  early,  because 
I  have  an  early  train  to  catch." 

The  colonel's  face  darkened.  There  were 
limits  to  coquetry. 

"When  did  you  decide  to  go?" 

"  A  few  minutes  ago." 

"  You  knew  I  had  something  to  say  to 
you  ?  " 

"  I  knew  nothing  of  the  sort.  And  what  has 
it  to  do  with  my  going  to  town,  anyway  ?  " 

The  colonel  had  only  a  few  moments  to  de 
cide. 

"  How  long  will  you  be  in  town  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know." 

"Where  will  you  be?" 

He  wearied  her,  and  to  be  rid  of  him  she 
thoughtlessly  gave  him  the  address  at  the 
Plaza. 

"  I'll  be  in  town  for  a  day  or  two,"  he  said, 
leering  at  her  once  more. 

If  she  heard,  she  paid  no  heed,  for  she  was 
already  entering  the  billiard  room  with  a  gay 
gesture  and  a  smile  for  Wallace,  who  waved 
his  hand  in  reply,  and  looked  volumes  at  her 
across  the  hubbub. 


CHAPTER    XIV 

DESUNT    CETERA 

BILVETTE  and  Diana,  in  one  of  Mr, 
Rivett's  town  limousines,  had  shopped 
to  their  hearts'  satisfaction,  inspected  fash 
ions  for  the  coming  winter  in  hats  and  furs 
and  gowns  and  various  intimate  affairs  of 
flimsier  fabric,  had  whirled  away  down  town 
to  lunch  with  Mr.  Rivett  and  Mr.  Dineen  at 
the  Iron  and  Steel  Club,  then  whirled  up  town 
again  to  resume  the  delicious  exploration  of 
those  glittering  Fifth  Avenue  shops  which  line 
that  thoroughfare  from  Madison  Square  to 
the  gilded  battle  horse  and  its  rider  in  two 
almost  unbroken  ranks. 

In  that  magic  land,  where  trousseaux  are 
assembled  and  garnered  by  pretty  brides  to  be, 
Silvette  lingered,  fascinated ;  but  her  rapid, 
intelligent  survey  was  only  preliminary  as  yet. 
She  and  Diana  were  merely  en  vidette ;  official 
inspection  and  an  advance  in  force  would  fol 
low  later. 

349 


Japoncttc 


But,  oh,  the  jewels  and  the  furs  and  the 
lovely  laces  and  the  heavenly  hats! 

Every  shop  was  now  in  full  swing  toward 
the  culminating,  scintillating  transformation  of 
Christmas;  the  avenue  was  crowded  with 
flashing  automobiles  and  carriages,  the  flor 
ists'  windows  were  beautiful,  the  sidewalks 
crowded. 

Men  sold  violets  everywhere  at  street  cor 
ners  or  offered  enormous,  orange-tinted  chrys 
anthemums  nodding  on  long  stems;  giant  po 
licemen  on  foot  kept  busy  ward  at  every  cross 
ing;  superb  mounted  police  calmly  stemmed 
the  twin  torrents  and,  with  lifted  hand,  quieted 
the  maelstrom.  Far  to  the  south,  in  snowy 
magnificence  against  the  sky,  the  huge  marble 
tower  brooded  under  its  golden  lantern  above 
the  city's  roar ;  northward  the  naked  trees  of 
the  park  turned  ruddy  and  golden  in  the  eye 
of  the  level  sun. 

And  all  of  it  the  two  young  girls  beheld, 
and  part  of  it  they  were— sometimes  afoot  in 
the  throng,  sometimes  in  their  limousine, 
looking  out  with  enchanted  eyes  upon  all  this 
magic — magic  only,  alas  !  to  the  unspoiled  eyes 
of  youth. 

From  time  to  time  Silvette  had  stopped  at 
350 


Desunt  Cat  era 


any  convenient  place  to  telephone  Edgerton, 
calling  him  up  at  his  various  points  of  possible 
contact.  She  had  telegraphed  him  the  morn 
ing  that  they  left  Adriutha,  which  was  the 
day  before,  but,  as  time  passed,  it  became  evi 
dent  that  he  had  not  yet1  received  the  tele 
gram. 

Some  days  ago  he  had  gone  to  Pittsburg  at 
Mr.  Dineen's  suggestion.  On  his  way  back 
he  was  to  stop  at  Philadelphia  and  Jersey  City. 

Rivett  said  at  luncheon  that  he'd  probably 
return  to  his  rooms  before  dining,  and  find 
their  telegram  in  time  to  join  them  at  the 
Plaza  for  dinner. 

But  he  didn't  come,  nor  did  any  word  ar 
rive  from  him ;  and  Silvette  and  Jack  went  off 
to  the  New  Theater  to  see  "  The  Thunder 
bolt  "  matchlessly  staged  and  acted  in  a  match 
less  theater ;  and  Rivett  offered  to  take  Diana 
anywhere. 

But  the  girl  was  sick  at  heart  under  her 
smiling,  feverish  gayety,  and  the  brilliant 
darkness  of  the  streets  seemed  to  mock  her 
as  she  looked  out  into  them. 

Also,   there    was   a    chance   that    Edgerton 
might  arrive  late  and  telephone  to  somebody 
— perhaps  even  to  her. 
351 


Japonette 


It  was  merely  a  chance,  but  her  chances 
were  few  these  days,  and  she  durst  not  pass 
one  by,  no  matter  how  unlikely  it  looked. 

So  she  thanked  Mr.  Rivett,  and  preferred 
her  room  in  the  pretty  suite  to  which  he  had 
invited  Silvette  and  herself ;  and  there  she  sat 
in  her  silken  dinner  gown,  sunk  into  the  vel 
vety  depths  of  a  chair,  watching  the  city  lights 
from  the  window,  waiting,  listening — always 
listening  with  a  hope  that  died  and  lived  with 
her  unquiet  breathing ;  fading,  flowering,  wax 
ing,  waning,  dead  and  alive  between  two  heart 
beats — the  hope  forever  new — the  only  living 
thing  which  cannot  die  while  the  sad  world 
endures. 

Below  her,  far  below,  the  lights  of  motors 
ran  swiftly  like  passing  meteors;  the  lights  of 
carriages  and  hansoms  streamed  to  and  fro, 
yellower  and  slower;  the  lighted  windows  of 
street  cars  glided  across  her  line  of  vision  in 
endless,  level  repetition. 

To  the  west  the  gemmed  fa9ade  of  the  New 
Theater  sparkled  above  the  trees ;  northward 
the  lighted  streets  spread  away  like  linked  jew 
els  under  the  winter  stars. 

Into  the  high  silence  where  she  lay  and 
looked  out  into  the  night,  only  a  faint  rumor 
352 


Desunt  Cat  era 


of  the  city  mounted  from  below;  a  tongue  of 
flame  rustled  on  the  hearth ;  the  clock  ticked. 

Suddenly,  silence  was  shattered  in  her  ears ; 
she  sprang  to  her  feet,  one  hand  against  her 
heart,  her  stunned  senses  deafened  by  the 
clamor  of  the  telephone. 

The  next  instant  she  was  at  the  receiver — 
the  receiver  pressed  convulsively  to  her  ear. 

44  Yes,"  she  said  faintly. 

44  Yes ;  this  is  Miss  Tennant." 

"  Yes— Diana  Tennant.     Who  is  it?" 

"  Yes;  I  wi"!  hold  the  wire." 

She  rested  against  the  shelf,  relaxing  from 
the  tension;  then,  rigid,  electrified: 

"Yes!     Is  that  you,  Jim?" 

"  Of  course !  "  he  replied.  "  Are  you  at  the 
Plaza?" 

"  Yes — all  alone.  Oh,  Jim !  I  am  so  glad 
to  hear  your  voice !  " 

4<  It's  bully  of  you  to  say  it.  I'm  delighted 
to  hear  yours.  I  have  just  come  in  and  found 
Silvette's  telegram  on  my  desk.  Shall  I  come 
around  ?  " 

"Will  you?" 

353 


Japonette 


She  could  hear  him  laughing,  then : 

"  Watch  me,"  he  said,  "  if  the  dust  doesn't 
obscure  the  spectacle,  I'll  be  with  you  in  five 
minutes.  Is  that  right,  Diana  ?  " 

"  It  is  perfectly  right." 

As  though  dazed  she  hung  up  the  receiver 
in  its  nickel  wishbone,  and  began  walking 
aimlessly  up  and  down  the  room  trying  to  col 
lect  her  wits  and  calm  her  senses.  Outwardly 
composed,  inwardly  facing  chaos,  she  threw 
open  the  window  and  turned  her  face  to  the 
coolness  of  the  winter  stars. 

Then  behind  her  the  telephone  sounded 
again.  It  was  only  the  announcement  of  his 
arrival,  and  she  closed  the  door  of  her  room 
and  went  into  the  pretty  parlor,  where  a 
maid  was  already  turning  on  the  electric 
lights. 

His  ring  sounded;  the  maid  admitted  him 
to  the  outer  hall,  took  his  hat  and  coat,  and 
ushered  him  in.  Diana  rose  to  receive  him 
with  smiling  composure  as  the  maid  retired  to 
the  bedroom. 

"  This  is  very  prompt  of  you,  Jim — and 
promptness  is  the  most  subtle  of  flatteries. 
.  .  .  How  thin  and  white  you  look !  .  .  .  Are 
you  perfectly  well  ?  " 

354 


Desunt  Cat  era 


"  Perfectly.  I  need  not  ask  that  question 
of  you,  Rose  of  the  Berkshires !  " 

"  Do  I  really  look  well  ?  " 

"  Flawless  and  dewy  fresh — a  trifle  slim, 
perhaps.  Don't  they  keep  you  in  pheasants  ?  " 

"  They  do,  kind  sir.  It's  fashion,  not  slen- 
derness,  you  behold.  Never  mind  how  it's  ac 
complished.  But,  Jim,  you  don't  look  well. 
Are  they  working  you  to  death  ?  " 

"  Not  so  you'd  notice  my  decease,"  he  said 
laughingly.  "  I'm  in  the  game,  up  to  the  neck, 
and  swimming  strongly.  It's  a  fine  game,  Di 
ana.  No  doubt  generations  of  Edgertons  on 
high  look  down  on  me  and  sing  in  unison  the 
Anvil  Chorus.  It's  a  great  game — this  iron 
one.  The  iron  is  in  me;  I'm  lanced  through 
and  through — it's  flowing  in  my  blood;  it's  in 
my  bones.  Iron !  iron  !  There  is  nothing  to 
compare  with  it  in  all  the  world,  Diana." 

"  Let  me  see  your  arm,  Jim." 

"  Shall  I  take  off  my  coat  and " 

"  No ;  I'll  just  feel  it — very  gently." 

"  It's  mended.     Squeeze  all  you  please." 

"Was  it  here?" 

"  Higher." 

"Here?" 

"  Lower." 

355 


Japonette 


"Here?" 

"  Higher." 

"  Jim,  I  believe  you're  just  letting  me  fondle 
your  old  arm  and  waste  oceans  of  sympathy 
on  it !  " 

They  laughed;  he  showed  her  where  the 
fracture  had  occurred.  She,  gravely  curious, 
explored  his  sleeve  with  timid  fingers. 

4<  Doesn't  hurt  at  all,  Jim?" 

"  Damp  weather,"  he  said  briefly.  "  How 
long  do  you  remain  in  town,  Diana  ?  " 

"  Only  over  to-morrow." 

"Good  Lord!     Is  that  all?" 

"  We've  been  here  two  days." 

"  And  I  was  in  Pittsburg,  dammit !  " 

"  You  certainly  were,  my  friend ;  but,  could 
I  help  that?  I  did  my  best.  We  wired  you, 
and  we  have  telephoned  you  steadily  every 
minute  since  we've  been  here.  .  .  .  Jim,  do 
you  know,  in  the  excitement  we've  quite  for 
gotten  to  sit  down." 

They  laughed  again ;  he  placed  a  chair  for 
her,  but  she  chose  the  lounge,  and  made  a 
place  for  him  beside  her.  Within  the  half 
hour  a  physical  transformation  had  changed 
her  to  a  flushed  and  radiant  young  girl,  shy 
and  audacious  by  turns,  brilliant  of  eye  and 

356 


Desunt  C&tera 


lip,  and  charmingly  alert  to  his  every  word 
and  smile.  From  her  shoulders  the  robe  of 
care  seemed  to  have  fallen,  shriveling,  as  it 
fell,  in  the  soft  fire  of  her  youth  and  spring 
tide,  leaving  visible  only  her  fresh,  unstained, 
and  winsome  beauty. 

She  told  him  all  that  had  occurred  at  Adriu- 
tha — all  except  what  had  happened  between 
herself  and  young  Wallace;  and  for  the  time 
she  really  forgot  that  such  a  man  existed. 

Then  she  asked  eager  questions ;  and  he  laid 
open  the  first  pages  of  his  new  life  before  her 
proud,  happy,  sympathetic  eyes,  tracing  it 
paragraph  by  paragraph  for  her  since  he  had 
entered  into  man's  estate,  and  had  put  away 
childish  things. 

The  clock  ticked ;  the  tongue  of  flame  flick 
ered  low  among  its  ashes.  They  talked  on, 
heeding  nothing  except  each  other. 

"  I  thought  you  and  Silvette  were  to  use  the 
apartment  when  you  come  to  town.  Your 
room  is  ready ;  but  here  you  are  in  white  mar 
ble  and  palatial  grandeur  overlooking  the 
park.  Explain  those  phenomena,  pretty 
maid ! " 

"  We're  guests  of  Mr.  Rivett,  Jim.  Other 
wise,  no  palatial  grandeur  for  us.  We  wanted 
24  357 


Japonette 


to  go  to  the  studio  apartment;  I  was  perfectly 
crazy  to  go.  But  we  saw  it  would  hurt  Mr. 
Rivett's  feelings,  and  that  he  had  set  his  kind 
old  heart  on  entertaining  .us.  .  .  .  Oh,  Jim,  I 
don't  want  to  seem  ungrateful,  but  if  older 
people  only  knew  that  the  less  they  entertain 
the  young,  the  better  they  are  beloved !  " 

"That's  a  rather  sad  truth,  but  it's  the 
truth,"  he  said.  "  Rivett  handed  me  one  black 
eye,  too,  bless  his  heart.  I  had  so  counted  on 
your  being  in  the  apartment.  .  .  .  Well,  you'll 
come  sometime — "  He  hesitated,  looked  at 
her,  troubled. 

"When  is  Silvette  to  be  married?" 

"  They  think  in  the  spring;  they  haven't  set 
tled  it  yet." 

"  Then  you  and  she  will  be  in  the  apartment 
this  winter  ?  " 

"If  you  want  us,"  she  said  almost  shyly. 

"  Want  you  !  It  will  be  paradise  !  I'll  make 
my  salary  go  as  far  as  it  will." 

"  Indeed,  you  won't!  Silvette  and  I  chip 
in  pro  rata,  or  we  refuse  your  marble  halls !  " 

"  I'm  afraid  I'll  have  to  agree,  Japonette. 
My  poverty,  not  my  will,  consents !  " 

After  a  moment  she  said :  "  It  is  a  long 
while  since  you  have  called  me  that." 

358 


Desunt  C cetera 


"What?" 

"  Japonette.  I  like  it.  There's  a  sort  of  an 
irresponsible  frou-frou  to  the  name  which 
suits  me.  That's  all  I  am,  Jim,"  she  added 
with  a  laugh — "  just  a  swish  of  scented 
skirts." 

He  glanced  up  at  her,  half  smiling. 

"  I  know  what  you  are,"  he  said. 

"  Do  you?    /  don't.    Reveal  me  to  myself, 

0  Cagliostro!" 
"  Not  now." 
"Why?" 

"  Not  now,"  he  repeated. 

"When?"  she  insisted. 

"  Some  particularly  sunny  day  in  June,  per 
haps." 

"  June !  Listen  to  this  man !  The  very 
nearest  June  is  seven  months  off !  " 

"  And  I  don't  believe  it  will  be  next  June, 
either,"  he  said  with  a  grin. 

"Jim!" 

"Yes?" 

"  You're  a  plain  masculine  brute !  You  say 
you  know  what  I  am.  If  you  do,  tell  me  now! 

1  maintain  that  I'm  only  a  silken  rustle  and  a 
hint  of  scent.     Am  I  a  louder  episode  than 
that,  Jim?" 

359 


Japonette 


"  The  vault  of  heaven  rings  with  you !  "  he 
assured  her,  laughing. 

"  Harmoniously  ?  " 

"  Entrancingly." 

"  Well,  that's  better,"  she  nodded  dubiously. 
"  Evidently  I'm  not  the  kind  of  a  noise  that 
gets  arrested.  Jim,  when  the  others  .come  in, 
shall  we  have  supper  ?  " 

"  Tons  of  it,  dear  lady.  They'll  have  to 
push  me  out  of  this  hotel  before  I  consent  to 

go-" 

"  Do  you  mean  it  ?  " 

"  Militantly— truculently !  " 

"Are  you  glad  to  see  me?" 

He  glanced  at  her  with  an  odd  expression, 
then  turned  aside  to  set  his  cigarette  afire. 

"  Yes,  I'm  glad,"  he  said. 

She  took  one  of  his  cigarettes,  lighted  it, 
savored  it  daintily,  then  leaned  back  watching 
him.  Their  eyes  encountered,  and  they 
smiled. 

"  Where  are  the  others,  Diana?  " 

"  Jack  and  Silvette  are  at  the  New  Theater. 
Mr.  Rivett  and  Mr.  Dineen  are  sitting  some 
where,  cheek  by  jowl,  looking  wealthy." 

"  How  does  one  look  wealthy  ?  " 

"  You  always  do,  Jim." 


Desunt  Cat  era 


"  Thank  fortune  for  that.  It  ought  to  land 
me  somewhere  on  the  grandstand." 

"  Haven't  you  noticed,"  she  said,  "  that 
some  people  always  look  wealthy?  I  don't 
know  exactly  what  it  is  about  them;  it  has 
nothing  to  do  with  breeding,  or  clothes,  or 
careful  grooming." 

"  Neither  has  wealth,"  he  smiled. 

"  That's  trite ;  you're  becoming  too  prosper 
ous  to  remain  clever.  But,  oh,  Jim!  isn't  it 
fine !  "  she  exclaimed  impulsively. 

"What  is  fine?" 

"  Why,  your  success,  of  course !  Your 
splendid  interest  in  the  business — your  fitting 
yourself  for  a  position  of  honor  among  your 
peers  !  It  is  fine  !  fine  !  And  it  is  the  happiest 
thing  that  has  ever  happened  in  my  life!  " 

He  looked  at  her. 

"  You  dear  girl,"  he  said  quietly. 

"  I  ?  It  was  none  of  my  doing.  You're  mis 
taken  if  you  think  so.  Once  you  said  some 
thing  of  that  sort  in  a  letter  to  me ;  but  it  isn't 
true,  Jim.  You  have  found  yourself;  the 
credit  is  yours  alone." 

*'  I  give  credit  to  the  far  white  gods.  .  .  : 
In  that  Olympian  Pantheon  one  is  known  as 
Diana." 

361 


Japonette 


"  She  of  the  Ephesians — yes.  She  was 
great,  wasn't  she?  Did  you  ever  hear  of  the 
fly  who  said,  '  I  lie  on  my  back  in  space,  bal 
ancing  the  world  on  my  six  legs '  ?  The  fly 
was  quite  right ;  there's  no  top  or  bottom  point 
to  this  sphere — or  to  your  logic,  Jim." 

He  smiled  quietly. 

"  Did  you  ever  hear  of  that  Chinese  goddess 
of  the  lotus,  Kwan-Yin,  who,  from  her  blos 
som  throne  in  the  Happy  Isles,  rescues  lost 
souls  ?  " 

"  With  how  many  incarnations  are  you  go 
ing  to  endow  me,  Jim  ?  " 

"  Do  you  think  I  am  endowing  you  with 
anything  you  do  not  already  possess  ?  " 

"What -do  I  possess?"  she  laughed;  "blue 
eyes  and  a  fair  skin  and  a  heart  as  mercenary 
as  a  Persian  pussy's.  Warmed  in  the  sun 
shine  of  life,  I  radiate  purrs;  but  I'm  a  slit- 
eyed  opportunist  in  storm  and  stress." 

After  a  moment  he  said : 

"  \Yhat  are  your  plans  when  Silvette  mar 
ries?" 

"  I  suppose  I'll  marry  somebody,"  she  said, 
thinking  of  Wallace  for  the  first  time.  "  Old 
age  alone  doesn't  attract  me ;  in  fact,  I've  been 
hedging  already,"  she  added. 

362 


Desunt  C cetera 


"Hedging?" 

"  Practically ;  I've  told  a  man  I'd  marry 
him  if  it  suited  me  to  do  so  some  day;  but, 
meanwhile,  he  must  consider  himself  pad 
locked.  Isn't  that  a  nice,  thrifty,  feminine 
contract  ?  " 

"  Are  you  serious  ?  " 

"  Entirely." 

"Who  is  he?" 

She  glanced  at  him  uncertainly. 

"  I  think  you've  heard  me  speak  of  him, 
Jim." 

"Wallace?" 

"  That  is  the  youth." 

"  Are  you  in  love  with  him  ?  " 

"  Oh,  more  than  that,  Jim.    I  like  him." 

"  Enough  to  marry  him  ?  " 

"  Not  at  present.  .  .  .  But  you  never  can 
tell.  I  await  the  event.  I  haven't  anything 
else  to  do." 

He  nodded,  smiling. 

"  I  rather  imagined  him  to  be  the  sort  of 
man  you'd  come  to  care  for.  .  .  .  I've  heard 
one  or  two  men  speak  of  him  recently." 

"  You  mean  that  you  made  inquiries  ?  " 

A  tint  of  red  touched  the  city  pallor  of  his 
skin. 

363 


Japonette 


"  Yes,  I  took  that  liberty." 

"  It  was  a  friendly  one.  The  reports  were 
excellent,  of  course." 

"  Excellent.  He  must  be  a  good  deal  of  a 
man." 

Her  eyes  were  fixed  cm  him,  expressionless, 
considering.  The  slightest  smile  edged  her 
lips. 

"  He  is  young — and  nice.  ...  I  don't  know 
how  much  of  a  man  he  may  become.  ...  I 
know  nothing  about  him,  and  haven't  studied 
him  very  minutely  yet." 

"  You  will — before  you  marry  him." 

"  I  may  not.  ...  A  girl  often  misuses  a 
microscope.  I  think  I  have,  frequently.  Do 
you  remember  King  Gama's  song? — 

"  '  And  interested  motives 
I'm  delighted  to  detect!' 

"  No,  Jim ;  my  snooping  days  are  about 
over.  Dissection  wearies ;  the  clinic  is  a  bore. 
I'm  beginning  to  be  content  with  the  surface  of 
things ;  I'm  tending  toward  impressionism  and 
the  elimination  of  detail — toward  the  blessed 
serenity  of  stupidity.  There  is  rest,  there." 

"  Rest,"   he   repeated,  smiling.     "  Of  what 
are  you  already  tired  ?  " 
364 


Desunt  Cat  era 


"  I  am  tired  of  intelligence.  It's  too  exact 
ing.  It  forms  a  liaison  with  conscience,  and 
affronts  inclination.  I'm  tired  of  rule  and  pre 
cept  with  which  an  occult  and  inborn  tyr 
anny  shackles  me.  I'm  tired  of  more  than 
that — but  isn't  that  sufficient  to  fatigue  a 

girl?" 

"  Heavy  chains,"  he  said,  looking  at  the  fig 
ures  on  the  carpet,  tracing  them  with  an  in 
curious  eye. 

"  So  I  think  I'll  file  away  a  few  links." 

"  You  can't." 

He  rose,  walked  to  the  window,  drew  the 
curtain,  and  looked  out  at  the  November  stars. 
Limpid,  inexorable,  the  countless  eyes  of  the 
night  met  his.  Whatever  message  they  held 
for  him  he  seemed  to  understand  it,  for,  pres 
ently  he  came  quietly  back  to  her. 

"Yes,"  he  said,  "  it's  a  good  game,  after 
all.  The  main  thing  is  to  get  into  it  and  stay 
there — in  medeas  res — squarely."  He  looked 
up,  smiling.  "Your  superb  interference  put 
me  there.  Why  do  you  deny  it  ?  " 

"  Does  it  please  you  that  I  should  not  deny 
it?" 

"  Yes,  Diana." 

"  Then  I  affirm  and  deny  nothing — which 
365 


Japonette 


makes  me  sufficient  of  a  nonentity  to  suit  you, 
I  hope." 

"  I  am  suited." 

A  moment  later  the  bell  rang,  and  Silvette 
arid  Jack,  followed  by  Mr.  Rivett,  came  laugh 
ing  through  the  hall  and  into  the  little  parlor. 

"  Jim !  At  last !  "  cried  Silvette,  giving  him 
both  hands. 

"  How  are  you,  cousin !  How  are  you,  Mr. 
Rivett !  Hello,  Jack !  "  he  said  as  they  sur 
rounded  him  with  lively  greetings. 

"  How  goes  it  ?  "  inquired  Mr.  Rivett  dryly. 

"  First  rate." 

"Did  you  see  McMillan  in  Pittsburgh?" 

"  By  jove,  I  did !  He  was  tremendously  in 
teresting — and  exceedingly  cordial  to  me." 

Mr.  Rivett  nodded.  He  might  have  said 
that  he  kept  McMillan  in  his  vest  pocket,  but 
he  only  stared  at  Edgerton  through  his  big, 
round  glasses. 

They  all  had  supper  together,  later;  Jack 
and  Silvette  bubbled  enthusiasm  over  the  play 
and  the  splendid  cast;  Dineen  came  in  and 
talked  business  to  Rivett  in  casual  undertones ; 
Diana  and  Edgerton  were  quieter,  even  in 
clined  to  silence. 

Meanwhile    Jack    was    consulting    Silvette 


Desunt  Cat  era 


about  theater  plans  for  the  following  evening, 
and  Edgerton  said  that  he  would  return  from 
business  in  time  to  join  them. 

"  You'll  be  in  Jersey,  won't  you  ?  "  asked 
Rivett. 

"  Yes." 

"  Well,  try  to  get  back  in  time  to  dress  and 
join  us  at  dinner." 

"  I  don't  believe  I  can  do  that." 

Rivett  looked  at  him.  "  Try,"  he  said 
briefly. 

But  Edgerton  said  aside  to  Diana: 

"  I  can't  get  back  to  the  studio  before  eight. 
.  .  .  By  the  way,  you  have  a  key,  you  know, 
if  you  wish  to  go  there  at  any  time." 

"  Thank  you,  Jim.  I  may  look  in  to-mor 
row  sometime.  I  want  to  see — "  She  flushed, 
and  hesitated ;  then  calmly :  "  We  left  two 
trunks  there,  you  know." 

He  nodded.  "  Go  and  rummage.  The  jan 
itor  has  orders.  He  has  taken  splendid  care 
of  that  big  white  cat  of  yours.  You'll  find 
everything  in  order,  and  quite  comfortable." 

So  he  made  his  adieux  and  went  his  way; 
and  Mr.  Dineen  followed,  and  Jack  and  his 
father  retired  to  their  suite,  and  Silvette  and 
Diana  went  to  theirs. 

367 


Japonette 


"  Little  sister,"  whispered  Silvette,  leaning 
over  Diana's  pillow,  where  she  lay,  eyes  closed ; 
"  are  you  any  happier  than  you  were  this 
morning?  " 

"  Yes." 

"Very  much?" 

"  Very  much." 

And  that  was  all.  Silvette  looked  down  at 
the  white  face  and  closed  eyes,  sighed,  and  ex 
tinguished  the  night  light. 

The  eyes  of  happiness  close  only  in  sleep, 
or  in  the  arms  of  the  best  beloved. 

Silvette's  excited  heart  began  to  sing  with 
the  first  ray  of  the  morning  sun.  Also  she 
arose,  dressed,  and  breakfasted  with  her 
equally  reckless  affianced,  which  showed  that 
theirs  was  a  hopeless  case,  and  a  recent  one. 

Dineen  came  and  took  Rivett  away.  Diana 
tasted  a  grape  fruit  in  bed,  and  lay  thinking 
until  noon  brought  luncheon  and  her  maid 
pro  tern. 

Jack  and  Silvette,  unable  to  persuade  her, 
drifted  off  somewhere  into  the  sparkling  con 
fusion  of  the  metropolis,  promising  to  return 
and  take  her  for  a  drive  through  the  Park. 

About  five  o'clock  she  summoned  her  maid. 


Desunt  Cetera 


"  Please  say  that  I  have  gone  to  the  studio 
apartment  to  get  some  things  from  my  trunks," 
she  said;  and  wrote  out  the  address  in  case 
either  Mr.  Rivett  or  Mr.  Dineen  wished  to 
communicate  with  her. 

Then,  in  furs,  walking  skirt  and  veil,  and 
her  tired  little  heart  already  outstripping  her 
feet,  she  went  out  into  the  sunset  world  upon 
the  pilgrimage  so  long  desired,  so  long  and 
wistfully  deferred. 

Her  pulse  beat  fast  as  she  entered  his  street. 
The  sight  of  the  house  rilled  her  with 
sudden  trepidation,  but  she  knew  that  he  was 
not  there.  She  had  nearly  three  hours  alone 
before  her,  unless  the  others,  returning  to 
find  her  note,  might  telephone  and  interrupt 
her. 

Her  key  turned  smoothly  in  the  lock;  she 
crossed  the  threshold,  holding  her  breath. 

A  dull,  mellow  light  filled  the  studio.  In 
the  stillness  a  faint  fragrance  of  tobacco  hung 
in  the  air.  Step  by  step  she  advanced,  looking 
at  each  familiar  object  as  she  came  to  it  and 
passed  it — pausing  to  lay  a  gloved  hand  on 
the  sofa  where,  ages  ago,  two  very  young 
people  sat,  touching  with  lingering  fingers 
the  empty  silver  bowl  which  once,  on  a  sum- 

369 


Japonette 


mer   day,   had  been   almost  hidden  under   a 
fragrant  load  of  peonies. 

Something  behind  her — and  it  was  not  a 
sound — made  her  turn.  The  white  cat  sat 
looking  at  her  with  no  recognition  in  its  solemn 
eyes ;  and  when  she  moved  forward,  hand  out 
stretched  in  wistful  appeal,  it  calmly  retreated 
into  the  demi  light  of  the  bedroom  beyond. 

The  well  of  desolation  was  filling  fast  now ; 
she  sank  into  a  wide  chair  by  the  tea  table 
and,  lifting  her  veil,  touched  her  eyes  with  her 
handkerchief.  Then,  disciplined,  controlled, 
she  lay  back  looking  into  the  bedroom  where 
she  and  her  sister  had  slept  and  awakened 
through  those  three  magic  days  which  even 
Fate  allowed  before  foreclosing  on  her  destiny 
forever. 

Pink  bars  of  sunlight  slanted  on  the  wall, 
warming  the  painted  armor  of  a  forgotten 
dead  man — forgotten  no  more  than  some 
among  the  living.  A  great  lady,  painted  in 
her  .jewels,  seemed  to  flush  and  smile  as  a  rosy 
bar  crept  across  her  cheek.  Doubtless  she, 
too,  had  loved  before  she  died. 

The  girl  extended  her  arm  listlessly  along 
the  upholstered  arm  of  her  chair,  and  looked 
at  her  white-gloved  hand. 
370 


''So  this  is  your  apartment?'  he  said. 


Desunt  Ccetera 


In  the  hollow  of  that  hand  she  had  once 
held  Love,  and  had  smilingly  released  it.  Out 
of  that  little  palm  Love  had  flown  far  beyond 
her  ken;  and  there  was  no  returning  for  that 
winged  thing. 

Then,  very  quietly,  she  bowed  her  head,  eyes 
sheltered  by  her  hand,  and  remained  so,  mo 
tionless,  for  a  long  while. 

The  outer  bell  had  sounded  twice  before 
she  realized  that  it  was  the  bell  of  the  apart 
ment.  Dazed,  she  rose,  stood  a  moment  col 
lecting  herself,  then  walked  to  the  door  and 
opened  it. 

Colonel  Curmew  stepped  jauntily  in. 

So  astonished  was  she  that  she  scarcely  un 
derstood  what  he  was  about  before  they  both 
were  on  the  studio  threshold — she  instinctively 
retreating,  he  advancing,  wreathed  in  a  smile 
so  remarkable  that  it  fascinated  her. 

"  What  an  odd  thing  of  you  to  do,"  she 
said,  still  confused  by  the  suddenness  of  his 
invasion,  groping  instinctively  for  the  reason. 

"  You  left  word  at  the  Plaza ;  /  under 
stood,"  he  said,  his  eyes  fairly  popping  at  her, 
then  palely  roving  around  the  place. 

"  So    this    is    your    apartment  ? "    he    said. 
"  What  a  discreet  and  charming  little  nest !  " 
25  373 


Japonette 


"  I  think  you  don't  understand,"  she  said ; 
"  this  is  Mr.  Edgerton's  apartment.'' 

He  looked  at  her  oddly,  then  burst  into 
laughter. 

"  You  clever  girl !  "  he  chuckled. 

"  What !  "  she  said,  bewildered. 

But  he  only  smirked  at  her. 

"  Look  here,  little  girl,"  he  said,  "  suppose 
you  begin  to  make  your  eyes  behave,  and  come 
down  to  actualities.  You  know  what  I  want ; 
/  know  what  you  want.  We've  been  wasting 
time  all  summer.  I'm  no  fool;  neither  are 
you,  as  you  show  by  selecting  this  nice,  little 
nook  for  a  good,  sensible  talk." 

She  only  stared  at  him,  thinking  he  had  gone 
mad,  and  he  laughed  and  twirled  his  mustache. 

"  Nix  for  the  baby  stare,"  he  said  reprov 
ingly.  "  I  tell  you  I  know  what  a  girl  like  you 
wants — privacy,  discretion,  and  the  usual  .  .  . 
And  I've  got  it,  little  girl— wads  of  it !  " 

The  grotesqueness  of  the  dream  seemed  to 
make  her  stupid ;  she  tried  to  find  some  sense 
and  reason  in  what  this  man  was  saying  to 
her,  strove  to  comprehend  him,  his  visit,  his 
words. 

"  Are  you  asking  me  to — marry  you,"  she 
said,  confused. 

374 


Desitnt  C&tera 


"  Marry  you !  "  he  repeated,  his  expressive 
features  suddenly  blank,  then  jocular  again. 

"  Then— what— 

And,  suddenly  staring  into  the  sinister 
smirk,  she  comprehended,  and  turned  ashy 
white. 

Even  he  could  not  mistake  the  genuineness 
of  that  white  horror. 

"  You — you  d-dont  understand,"  he  stam 
mered,  his  effrontery  shaken.  .  .  .  "  I — per 
haps  I  didn't  understand  you,  either.  .  .  .  But 
I  thought — I  supposed " 

His  top  hat  fell  clattering  on  the  floor;  he 
stooped  and  picked  it  up,  lifting  a  redder  and 
more  impudent  countenance  to  confront  her. 

"  After  all,"  he  said  with  a  sneer,  "  I  had 
a  right  to  think  you  knew  what  you  were 
about — a  girl,  alone,  who  lives  on  her  wits." 

He  hesitated,  malignant  now,  writhing  in 
ternally  under  her  pallid  contempt. 

"  By  God !  "  he  said,  "  you're  nothing  better 
than  any  other  hired  woman !  I  helped  hire 
you  myself."  And  added,  between  his  teeth : 
"  You  little  clawing  cat !  I  know  damned 
well  you're  an  adventuress,  but  your  game  is 
beyond  me " 

He  swung  insolently  on  his  heel,  and  found 

375 


Jap  one  tie 


himself  looking  straight  into  the  eyes  of  Jacob 
Rivett. 

"  Go  out !  "  said  Mr.  Rivett  in  a  low  voice. 

The  colonel  stared  at  him,  confounded. 

"  Go  out !  "  repeated  Rivett  softly. 

The  colonel,  flushed  and  utterly  discoun 
tenanced,  started  toward  the  door.  Mr.  Rivett 
followed  him  out  into  the  hall,  closing  the 
door  behind  him. 

Diana  stood  stock  still,  as  though  turned  to 
stone.  There  had  been  a  crash  outside ;  then, 
in  rather  rapid  but  irregular  succession,  a  se 
ries  of  thuds.  It  was  Colonel  Curmew's  im 
pact  with  wall  and  floor ;  Mr.  Dineen  had  been 
patiently  knocking  him  down  until  that  bat 
tered  and  half-senseless  warrior  took  the 
count.  Then  one  careful  and  heavy  kick  sent 
him  down  the  first  of  the  flights  of  stairs,  and 
a  moment  later  Diana  heard  the  door  bell. 

She  opened;  Mr.  Rivett  walked  in  slowly, 
as  though  abstracted;  Mr.  Dineen  came  be 
hind,  straightening  his  scarf-pin. 

"  You  left  the  door  ajar,  so  we  walked  in," 
observed  Rivett,  ignoring  his  previous  en 
trance.  He  strolled  about,  glancing  up  at 
the  pictures  and  tapestries.  Then  his  manner 
changed. 

376 


Desunt  'Ctetera 


"Well,  my  dear,"  he  said  briskly,  "  Mr. 
Dineen  and  I  stopped  at  the  hotel,  and  your 
maid  told  us  you  had  come  here  to  get  things 
out  of  your  trunks.  So,  if  you've  finished 
rummaging,  the  car  is  below,  and  Jack  and 
Silvette  are  waiting  tea  for  us  at  the  St. 
Regis." 

"  Thank  you,"  she  said  in  a  low  voice. 

"  Had  you  rather  not  come  ?  " 

"  I  had  rather  not — if  you  don't  mind." 

He  walked  over  to  her,  took  both  her  hands, 
and  looked  into  her  eyes. 

"  I  am  at  your  service,  my  dear,"  he  said. 

"  I  know  it.  ...  My  heart  will  always  be 
in  yours." 

His  face  grew  grimmer. 

"  I  guess  we  understand  each  other,  child. 
.  .  .  Next  to  my  own — Silvette — and  you. 
.  .  .  Shall  the  car  wait  for  you  ?  " 

"  I  will  walk  back." 

"  Dinner  at  seven,"  he  said,  releasing  her 
hands. 

She  nodded,  forcing  a  smile. 

"  At  seven,"  she  repeated,  offering  her  hand 
to  Mr.  Dineen,  who  squeezed  it  shamelessly 
while  unfeigned  admiration  transfigured  his 
broad  face. 

377 


Japonette 


So  they  left  her  there  in  the  studio,  stand 
ing  in  the  dusk,  head  held  high,  and  in  her 
eyes  that  dauntless  courage  that  remains 
though  lips  quiver  and  the  hot  tears  sting  the 
straining  throat. 

Cautiously,  lest  self-control  slip  the  leash, 
she  reseated  herself  and  lay  back  in  the  chair, 
closing  her  eyes.  Whatever  battle  raged  with 
in  her  was  fought  out  there  in  darkness 
and  in  silence.  She  lay  motionless,  never 
stirring  save  for  the  slow  clenching  and  relax 
ing  of  her  fingers ;  and  at  last  even  that 
ceased. 

Then  the  steel  nerves  and  iron  will  that  had 
mastered  the  storm  and  soothed  it,  turned 
traitor,  tricking  her,  furtively  relaxing  in  the 
wake  of  exhaustion. 

In  the  dark  the  white  cat  stole  in,  hesitated, 
looked  at  her ;  then,  satisfied,  stretched  out  on 
a  Persian  rug  in  front  of  her. 

Long  ago  all  sound  had  ceased  in  her  ears ; 
her  heart  beat  quietly,  her  breath  came  and 
went  as  evenly  and  softly  as  the  respiration  of 
a  sleeping  child. 

Through  the  tall  windows  the  starlight 
touched  her;  at  her  feet  the  white  cat  dozed, 
dreaming  of  nothing. 

378 


Desunt  C&tera 


Confused,  the  brilliancy  of  electric  light  in 
her  eyes,  Diana  found  herself  sitting  bolt  up 
right,  clutching  the  arms  of  her  chair,  and 
staring  at  a  dark  figure  which  leaned  over  her 
— a  man,  laughing,  still  amazed,  still  a  little 
incredulous. 

"Jim!"  she  faltered. 

"  Certainly.  What  do  you  mean  by  going 
to  sleep  in  my  favorite  chair  ?  " 

"  Oh,  dear !  Oh,  Jim  !  "  she  wailed,  drop 
ping  back  helplessly  into  the  depths  of  the 
chair,  "  I  must  be  perfectly  crazy  to  do  such 
a  thing!  What  time  is  it?  I  came  in  here  to 
— to  get  something  " — she  pressed  her  hands 
to  her  temples — "  to  find — to  look —  Oh,  I 
don't  know  what  I'm  talking  about !  " 

Her  hands  dropped;  she  gazed  hopelessly 
up  at  him. 

"  Did  you  ever  hear  of  such  a  perfect 
fool?"  she  said.  "What  time  is  it? — if  you 
think  I  can  bear  the  information." 

"  It's  only  eight." 

"  Eight !  Jim,  dear,  will  you  go  to  that  tele 
phone  and  inform  Mr.  Rivett  that  I  have  not 
been  run  over,  murdered,  or  arrested?" 

He  went  over  and  telephoned,  adding: 
"  Don't  wait  for  either  of  us.  Leave  the  tick- 
379 


Japonette 


ets  on  Diana's  dresser.  We'll  be  along  pretty 
soon." 

"  What  did  you  mean,  Jim?"  she  asked, 
struggling  with  her  veil. 

"  It's  so  late,"  he  said,  "  that  you'd  better 
wait  for  me  to  get  into  my  jeans,  and  then  I'll 
take  you  over  and  you  can  get  into  yours,  and 
then  we'll  dine  together,  and  go  in  for  the 
last  act  if  we  have  time." 

"  I've  spoiled  your  evening,"  she  said. 

"  Do  you  think  so  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I  know  it.  Did  Mr.  Rivett  think  me 
an  utter  lunatic  ?  " 

"  He  didn't  say  so  over  the  wire." 

"What  did  he  say,  Jim?" 

"  Nothing  that  meant  anything." 

"  Tell  me !  " 

"  All  he  said  was  for  me  to  take  care  of  you. 
.  .  .  You  perceive  the  irony,  don't  you  ?  " 

"  Irony  ? "  she  repeated,  looking  at  him. 
"  Why?  Aren't  you  capable  of  doing  it?  " 

"  Do  you  need  anybody  to  look  after  you  ?  " 
he  asked,  smiling. 

Slowly  she  lifted  her  eyes  to  his;  his  smile 
died  out.  Never  had  he  looked  into  such  a 
desolate  face. 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  he  said,  astonished ;  "  what 
380 


Desunt  C&tera 


on  earth  is  the  matter,  Diana?    Has  anything 
happened  ?  " 

"  Nothing — unusual — I  suppose." 

"  You  are  not  ill,  are  you  ?  " 

The  tears  were  slowly  blinding  her,  and  she 
turned  her  head,  standing  so,  fighting  for  self- 
mastery. 

"  Diana " 

She  motioned  him  to  silence.  He  stood  it 
as  long  as  he  could,  then  stepped  over  beside 
her  and  touched  her  arm. 

"  Tell  me,  dear  ?  "  he  said  under  his  breath. 

She  strove  to  speak — could  not,  yet;  mo 
tioned  him  aside,  but  he  would  have  none  of 
such  commands. 

"  You  took  my  troubles  on  your  slender 
shoulders,"  he  said ;  "  may  I  not  help  you  to 
carry  one  or  two  of  yours  ? "  .  .  .  And,  as 
she  made  no  answer :  "  Dear,  if  you  have  not 
loved  me,  you  have  done  for  me,  perhaps,  even 
more  than  love  might  have  done." 

She  had  dried  her  eyes ;  now  she  turned  to 
him  quietly. 

"  It  was  love.  .  .  .  But  don't  mistake  it, 
Jim.  ...  It  was  a  love  that  asked  for  noth 
ing  that  it  had  not — desired  nothing  that  you 
had  not  already  given.  ...  I  thought  it  best 

381 


Japonette 


to  tell  you — because — it  is  a  world  of  men; 

and  women — sometimes — are  held — lightly  in 
ft " 

Her  lip  quivered,  but  she,  somehow,  man 
aged  to  meet  his  eyes  and  smile. 

"  All  that  happened  long  ago,  Jim." 

"Did  love— die?" 

"  Yours,"  she  said,  smiling.  "  I  slew  it  very 
neatly  for  you." 

"  I  mean  yours,  Diana?" 

"  Mine  ?  Why,  I  gave  you  something  bet 
ter  than  that,"  she  began  gaily.  Then  her  face 
altered;  she  fell  silent,  watching  him — at  first 
incredulous,  then  a  little  dazed. 

"  Didn't  you  know  that  I  loved  you  ?  "  he 
said. 

"  You  mean — last  summer.  .  .  .  Yes." 

"Now!    Didn't  you  know  it?" 

"  I— no." 

Far  in  the  chaos  of  her  brain  she  heard  his 
words  echoing,  reechoing  in  confused  reitera 
tion. 

He  was  saying,  slowly :  "  There  has  never 
been  a  moment  since  that  day -that  my  life  has 
not  been  yours — that  you  have  not  possessed 
my  heart,  my  mind,  filled  them,  owned  them, 
overwhelmingly  inspired  me  with  love  and 

382 


Desunt  C cetera 


adoration  for  you  alone.  What  I  am,  and 
will  be,  I  am,  and  shall  be  by  grace  of  you. 

"  But  gratitude  is  not  the  love  of  man  for 
woman;  it  is  not  even  part  of  it;  it  is  a  sep 
arate  passion — a  shrine  by  itself.  I  worship 
you  there  in  my  own  fashion. 

"  But  you,  Diana — Japonette — "  He  flung 
one  arm  around  her  body.  She  placed  a  firm 
hand  on  his  wrist  as  though  to  break  the  clasp, 
looked  at  him,  and  began  to  tremble. 

"  Can  you  love  me,  Japonette  ?  " 

"  I » 

"Can  you?" 

"  Yes." 

Her  hand  tightened  over  his  wrist  as  he 
drew  her  close,  crushing  her  to  him.  She 
looked  up  blindly  into  his  eyes  as  he  kissed 
her;  then  her  lids  unclosed  and  her  silent  lips 
moved,  forming  his  name. 

They  neither  dressed  for  the  theater  nor 
went  to  it.  They  dined  together  at  an  out 
rageous  hour  in  an  unfashionable  haunt  of 
his. 

Silvette,  Jack,  Mr.  Rivett,  and  Mr.  Dineen 
found  them  at  supper  in  the  little  parlor  when 
they  arrived  from  the  play. 

383  ' 


Japonette 


'"  Di !  "  cried  Silvette,  "  what  on  earth  has 
possessed  you  and  Jim  ?  " 

Her  voice  failed  her  at  sight  of  her  sister's 
face. 

"That!"  she  exclaimed;  "has  that  hap 
pened  ?  Darling !  My  little  Di — my  little,  lit 
tle  girl ! "  she  murmured,  dropping  on  her 
knees  beside  her. 

Mr.  Dineen  looked  foolishly  at  Mr.  Rivett. 

"  Say  it  later,  John,"  whispered  Mr. 
Rivett  dryly.  "  We'll  go  downstairs  for  a 
while." 

"  You  won't !  "  said  Diana,  turning  laugh 
ingly  on  them.  "  You  will  wish  us  happiness, 
and  drink  to  it,  too."  She  rose,  flushed  and 
radiant.  Silvette  sprang  to  her  feet  and 
kissed  her ;  Jack  seized  her  with  determination, 
and  made  no  ceremony  about  it. 

Then  Diana  walked  straight  up  to  Mr.  Riv 
ett,  and  held  out  both  hands;  and  the  little 
man  kissed  her  grimly. 

Mr.  Dineen's  blue  eye  sparkled;  she  looked 
at  the  big,  jolly  Irishman,  audaciously  de 
lighted. 

"  What  man  has  done,  man  may  do,"  she 
said. 

"  Faith,  I'll  see  if  a  woman  can  do  it,  too !  " 

384 


Health,  happiness,  prosperity  to  them.'  " 


Desunt  Caetera 


he  said,  saluting  her  with  all  the  reckless  grace 
of  his  race. 

Then  Edgerton's  hand  was  shaken  and  his 
shoulder  patted,  and  Jack  summoned  legions 
of  waiters  from  the  regions  below. 

Rivett's  burned-brown  eyes  bored  through 
and  through  Edgerton  as  he  took  his  hand. 

"  I  thought  you'd  do  it,"  he  said. 

"  Did  you?  I  wasn't  very  hopeful  myself," 
said  the  young  fellow,  laughing. 

"  /  was.  .  .  .  They're  good  children — good 
children — like  my  own.  ...  If  you  will  ex 
cuse  me,  I  will  go  and  telegraph  my  wife.  .  .  . 
It  will  be  a  happiness  to  her — a  great  happi 
ness." 

Jack  thrust  a  glass  into  his  hand.  "  What's 
this  ?  "  demanded  his  father. 

"  We  are  to  drink  health  to  them,  dad." 

Mr.  Rivett  inspected  his  glass,  hesitated, 
while  all  waited;  then,  lifting  it: 

"  They're  good  children,"  he  said.  "  Health, 
happiness,  prosperity  to  them — and — to  the 
house  of  Edgerton,  Tennant  and  Company! 
.  .  .  Break  your  glasses !  " 


THE   END 


YE   73058 


THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


